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Seafood markets explain lobster 'red list'

A new report sounded the alarm on an endangered species, saying certain types of lobster should be avoided.

WILKES-BARRE, Pa. — All kinds of seafood are available at Valley Seafoods. 

But certain types of lobster could soon be harder to come by.

"The Canadian lobster and the Maine lobster are the ones they are having the problems with. They're going to be a short supply of those, so they will be tough to get," said Jim Nixon, general manager of Valley Seafoods. 

It comes after Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch recently put the American and Maine Lobster on its red list, meaning consumers should avoid them. 

The seafood advisory says the way they're caught in traps is a threat to already endangered whales.

Seafood markets say they've dealt with red list situations before, but this one isn't alarming.

"It's only the whole lobster that you would get, and I mean, we do carry them, but it's not going to be a big part of our business," said Carl Green. 

The owner at C & D seafood in Wilkes-Barre Township explains that in our region, most customers aren't looking for live lobster as most opt for frozen. 

"Most of them that people buy are just the tails, not the whole, live ones, so it really doesn't affect our business in a great aspect," said Green.

The general manager at Valley Seafoods says only time will tell how the red list will impact other types of lobster. 

"The Brazilian, the Australian, the African, all those types of lobster tails are available out there, but whether it affects prices, we won't know for a while," said Nixon. 

It's not clear how long the Monterey Bay Aquarium will keep these crustaceans on its watch list.   

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