A rare electric blue lobster, thought to be a one in two million catch, has been hauled in by a fisherman off the Pembrokeshire coast.
Local fisherman Matt Lewis found the bright blue crustacean in his pots on Sunday evening while he was fishing out of Newport Bay.
The animal’s electric blue shell is believed to be caused by a genetic abnormality that has caused it to produce more of a certain protein than other lobsters.
It is estimated that the chances of catching such a luminously blue lobster are around one in two million.
“While we catch various dark blue and colour variants, I was surprised to see such a blue lobster,” said Matt.
“It's amazing to see an electric style blue. I have only ever seen one before online, in news articles and fishing groups.”
Matt, 29, has been at sea since the age of seven. He used to help his dad in his commercial fishing operation and then left Pembrokeshire at a young age to sail around the world and then work on board super yachts. He met his partner, Victoria O’Brien while working in the Caribbean.
The couple returned to Pembrokeshire to start a fishing business at the start of lockdown.
Matt aims to fish locally and sell Pembrokeshire shellfish from his new shop in Newport, the Newport Shellfish Co.
However, his two in a million catch won’t be sold for someone’s supper. Rather Matt is donating it to the Ocean Lab in Goodwick, where it will go on display in Sea Trust’s Sea Mor aquarium.
“We did have one several years ago but not since the Ocean Lab became such a popular attraction,” said a Trust’s Cliff Benson.
“They are very rare! We are really grateful to Matt who could have sold the lobster but instead has donated it to us.
“We are happy to have great relations with our local fishermen who have often donated specimens to us.
“We love the fact that what they do is largely sustainable, only taking lobsters of a good size, releasing undersized lobsters and also females with eggs.
“I think they see us as allies in protecting our marine environment which provides them with a hard-earned living.”
The blue lobster is likely to be returned to the wild this winter as Sea Mor is a catch and release aquarium.
Sea Trust is looking for a name for the lobster. Anybody with suggestions can email seatrustwales@gmail.com. The winning suggestion will receive free tickets to Sea Mor aquarium to visit the lobster.
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