US lobsterman catches giant lobster believed to be over 100 years old
Jacob Knowles, a lobsterman in the US state of Maine, has shared footage on social media of a giant lobster he caught that is believed to be more than 100 years old.
Coming from a family that has fished for lobster in Maine for generations, Knowles regularly posts videos of his daily work on social media. His latest catch has so far drawn more than 1.7 million views.
Jacob Knowles with the lobster, believed to be more than 100 years old, that he caught.
"The tail on this lobster is as big as both of my hands. This might be the biggest lobster I've ever caught. The only reason we were able to catch it is that it has fairly small claws. Most likely it lost its claws at some point and is growing a new pair," Knowles said in the video.
Knowles said that despite its age, the lobster appeared to be in good health.
According to the fisherman, the century-old lobster may well have passed through the hands of his forebears, who also fished for lobster in the area.
"It's hard to believe this lobster is over 100 years old. My father could have caught this lobster in his lifetime. Even my grandfather or great-grandfather could have caught it, since my family has been lobstering here for generations," Knowles said.
According to Knowles, lobsters in the area tend to migrate through the same waters every year.
Under Maine regulations designed to protect the region's lobster population and its breeding, Knowles was required to release the more than 100-year-old lobster.
He estimated that the lobster had grown past the maximum legal harvest size about five years ago. Knowles gave the giant lobster a little food before returning it to the sea.
In the US, adult lobsters grow to a large size and are commonly found in the North Atlantic, most abundantly off the state of Maine.
According to the Maine Department of Marine Resources, a total of 48,000 tonnes of lobster were landed in the state in 2020.
