How old is George the lobster? According to the New York Daily News, NY: “George the Giant Lobster – 20 pounds and an estimated 80 years old – found himself liberated from City Crab’s lobster tank, saved by the intervention of animal rights activists.” However, other news organizations such as MSNBC and the Telegraph.co.uk are reporting that George is 140 years old. I guess a lobster that’s 140 years of age makes for a better story than one that’s only 80 years old.

Personally, I’m not sure why anyone wants to eat such an old lobster, because according to the fishermen I use to work with, smaller, younger, and of course legal American lobsters taste better than larger and older lobsters. Furthermore, I’m not sure whether this claim is true: “[R]estaurant manager Keith Valenti was quoted in the Reuters report as saying that each pound equals 7-10 years in age.” I’ve seen very large lobsters while observing fisheries in the Northeast, and I’m fairly sure that I’ve seen some larger than 20 pounds.  Nonetheless, it’s a story with a happy ending, but I hope George the lobster can survive in his new home. From the Associated Press:

A huge lobster that was destined to adorn a dinner plate is back in the ocean after a New York City restaurant granted him a reprieve.

The 20-pound crustacean, named George, was returned to the wild Saturday in a rocky cove in Kennebunkport, less than a mile from the summer home of former President George H.W. Bush.

George was transported to Maine by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, which had beseeched City Crab and Seafood to allow the lobster to go free.

The activist group says the giant lobster may be up to 140 years old, although conventional standards for guessing a lobster’s age put it closer to 80.

On the Net: ANIMAL WELFARE: Giant lobster that sparked bidding war saved from pot

It had been caught off Newfoundland, Canada, and lived in the restaurant’s tank for about 10 days.

Image Found Here

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