Kerry Lobster

Lobster is the mainstay of many small vessels fishing all around the coast of Ireland. The crevice-filled, Kerry coast provides an excellent habitat for these prime crustaceans, which thrive in the clean waters of the Atlantic ocean.

Responsible fishing practices

Fishermen operate within a fisheries management framework, which has sustainability as a core objective. The lobster stock is protected by a minimum landing size of 87mm, and there is a strong network of associations and Co-ops, who actively partake in protecting and enhancing lobster stocks.

V-notching

In the V-notching programme, a small notch is cut in the tail of the female lobster. When a lobster is marked in this way, it is illegal to keep or sell it. This ensures that a good percentage of the female population is retained for breeding, boosting egg production and recruitment to the stock. It takes around four years for the V-notch to repair itself, but if a lobster is re-caught in this time, it is generally re-cut.

Fishing Activity Records (FARs)

Fishing Activity Records must be kept by each fisherman. These contribute to knowledge on catch rates and stock size and are used to forecast future recruitment.

Stock assessment

Recent tagging studies have yielded important data on the growth and reproduction of lobsters. This information is used to ensure that all lobsters contribute to spawning before they are captured in the fishery.

Handling and quality

A range of pots is used to capture lobster, and these are raised every 2-3 days, depending on the weather and sea state. Lobsters are then held in keep boxes at sea to empty their gut, and are either sold directly to buyers or moved to on-shore holding facilities.

Lobsters chosen for live storage must be in excellent physical condition, with no missing limbs or other damage. Condition is determined by a simple blood protein test, which ensures that only the fittest specimens are kept. Holding facilities use a chilled seawater controlled environment, and this allows the lobster to rest in a state of reduced metabolism for many months with no loss of quality.

View/Download the Kerry Lobster leaflet (693kb) in pdf format below.