Lidl lobsters to go on sale for £4.99 by Christmas

THE first whole lobsters which are certified sustainable are going on sale in the UK for Christmas.

Lidl: Sustainable lobsters for Christmas. Picture: Greg Macvean

The lobsters, which have been certified by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) for the sustainable fishing practices used to catch them, will be on sale at Lidl for £4.99.

They come from New Brunswick in Canada, where the fishery is managed to protect stocks with a season of just two months to make sure numbers are buoyant and the crustaceans are in the best possible condition.

Fishermen based in villages along the shoreline fish in small boats around 35ft long, using baited traps which are fitted with escape panels to reduce the number of undersized lobsters that are caught in them and help other species escape.

The panels are biodegradable to reduce the chance of “ghost fishing” by traps that are lost.

The fishery also bans the landing of undersized lobsters and females with eggs to ensure they are returned to the sea to breed, the MSC certification assessment found.

Lobster freezes well, and the New Brunswick lobsters are cooked and frozen locally before being shipped to the UK for sale.