APPENDIX III APPENDIX III 
Almost all spiny lobsters are sold frozen of which 
about half of the production is sold whole, either raw or 
cooked. The remainder are marketed as tails, whole or split. 
Spiny lobsters caught by small craft which make daily trips 
are landed alive. Distant water vessels which make extended 
trips generally land only lobster tails. There is no auto- 
mated processing in this fishery, with the little processing 
necessary done by hand. 
Markets 
The largest markets for live American lobsters are con- 
centrated in the Northeastern portion of the United States 
close to the fishery. However, lobsters are being shipped 
to all 50 States. Most of the lobster wholesaling and pro- 
cessing firms are located in New England, close to domestic 
supplies and points of entry for Canadian imports. Boston 
and New York City are the major distribution centers. 
About half of the total domestic lobster supply is landed 
in the United States while the remainder is imported from 
Canada. For example, in 1973 domestic landings of 29 million 
pounds accounted for 53 percent of the total supply of 55 
million pounds of lobster. Most of the total supply is con- 
sumed domestically with only a small percentage exported. 
During the period 1965 to 1973, total annual supply de- 
clined by about 16 percent from 65 to 55 million pounds. 
Exvessel prices in this time period rose steadily from $0.75 
to $1.37 per pound in Maine. 
Domestic markets for spiny lobster have been strong, 
with domestic consumer demand much greater than the U.S. 
spiny lobster catch. Imports have accounted for the majority 
of U.S. supply. For example, in 1974 spiny lobster imports 
of 132 million pounds, valued over $150 million, represented 
about 91 percent of the supply. The principal countries ex- 
porting spiny lobster to the U.S. are Australia, Brazil, 
Republic of South Africa, and New Zealand with about one- 
third coming from Australia. 
Most of the imported lobster is frozen, but a small 
quantity is imported in cans. Between 1965 and 1974, the 
total annual supply available to the domestic market in- 
creased from 127 million pounds to 145 million pounds. In 
the same period the exvessel price rose from about $0.56 to 
$1.23 per pound in Florida. The United States does not export 
spiny lobster in any form. 
168 
