Sustainability of the spiny lobster industry in The Bahamas is a fundamental cornerstone of our business. At Tropic Seafood, we recognize that our success hinges on the health and abundance of the resource and are therefore fully committed to and support sustainability efforts. Our participation in initiatives like the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification of the Bahamian lobster fishery is vital.
As part of this ethos, we are excited to share our yearly release of egg-bearing female spiny lobsters back into the ocean. During the lobster season (August 1st to March 31st), we receive, process, and pack frozen lobster tails. However, a small portion of our lobster is received and sold as a live product.
We receive live spiny lobsters into our land-based holding tanks, where they live in well oxygenated, flow-through saltwater. Our team properly cares for and feeds the lobster while at Tropic Seafood. During the late spring and early summer, any remaining unsold live lobster begin to mate in our tanks. After mating, female lobsters will extrude her bright orange eggs, and attach them under her tail. Depending on her size, she may hold 1 to 2 million eggs! It will take 4 weeks until her eggs are ready to hatch.
Before the female has the chance to spawn in the tanks, we gather all the egg-bearing females, and release them back into the wild. We choose a secluded spot in close proximity to good habitat, so they have the best chance of survival. Once released, these lobsters will have the opportunity to successfully spawn, and contribute to the next generation of Bahamian spiny lobsters.
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- Female lobsters with eggs (aka Berried)
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- Female lobster with eggs
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- Lobster with eggs underwater
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- Lobster underwater
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- Lobster underwater
