To save the whales, we need to stop eating lobster – here’s why

In November 2022, President Joe Biden hosted several high-profile guests at his first state dinner at the White House. To mark the event—which was attended by French President Emmanuel Macron and intended to celebrate the relationship between France and the United States—about 200 live lobsters were brought in from Maine, the heart of the U.S. lobster industry, and served with caviar. . .

But the choice to serve lobster at the prestigious event has sparked controversy. For example, many activists and environmentalists were outraged. Not only has the study shown that boiling live lobsters is inhumane because the animals have the ability to feel pain, but mass catching them is having a major impact on another species: the North Atlantic right whale.

In 2021, scientists revealed that there were probably only about 340 North Atlantic right whales left in the ocean. And the following year, Seafood Watch, an organization that offers science-based seafood recommendations, added American lobster to its “Avoid” list. The two events were intrinsically linked: the way lobsters are caught is impeding right whales and not helping their already slim chances of survival.

Here’s more on why it’s time to stop eating lobster for whales, as well as where to buy vegan lobster the next time the craving strikes.

Do lobster traps kill whales?

The American lobster industry is a big market; In 2022, a record $725 million worth of crustaceans were brought to Maine docks. But the way these lobsters are caught, in vessels attached to floating buoys on the sea floor by lines, is decimating right whale populations. Marine animals become entangled and entangled in these lines, which injure their skin and make it difficult for them to rise to the surface to breathe.

talking New York Times, Amy Knowlton, one of the New England Aquarium’s senior scientists, said it was a “heartbreaking sight” to see right whales entangled in lobster lines. “They are often under significant stress, thrashing frantically and desperately trying to get their body gear off,” Knowlton said. He added that these entanglements are a major threat to the species.

And, according to activists, the US Senate is not helping the situation. In addition to eating lobster for dinner, politicians actively made things worse by including a provision in the year-end funding budget that would allow lobster farmers to use dangerous equipment for right whales for several more years, at least until 2028.

According to the Center for Biological Diversity, this has potentially doomed the North Atlantic right whale to extinction. The senators responsible for the provision were Chuck Schumer of New York and Patrick Leahy of Vermont, who has since retired from office. “What a terrible legacy to leave to our grandchildren,” said Brett Hertle of the Center for Biological Diversity. guardian.

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What would happen if the right whale went extinct?

It is difficult for right whales to come back from the brink and this is because their reproduction rate is very low. A mother right whale takes a long time to give birth, with gestation lasting about a year. And after that, usually another three years before they have another calf and sometimes it can be longer.

There have been minor improvements in recent years, but not enough to save the population. In 2018, no right whale calves were born, but in 2021, 13 were born, and in 2022, researchers observed eight new calves. Moira Brown of the Canadian Whale Institute reported this information CBC That entanglement stresses the whales, which can affect their reproductive rates. Other threats include strikes from ships, as well as climate change, which affects their feeding grounds.

If the right whale population cannot recover, the species will become extinct. And the consequences will be devastating. Not only because it would be humanity’s fault, but also because it would disrupt important marine ecosystems. According to the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, right whales redistribute nutrients throughout the ocean through their excrement. And when they die, they also help other marine life by providing a food source.

Where to Buy Vegan Lobster

The right is going to take several solutions to save whales, one of which is to regulate the lobster industry and change the way these shellfish are caught. But, really, the world doesn’t need to eat lobster at all. The vegan seafood industry is booming, and some reports predict it could surpass $1.3 billion by 2031.

At the moment, there are no vegan lobster products like plant-based shrimp or tuna alternatives, but this is likely to change as research and development in this area continues. But if you want to eat lobster now, and you don’t want to hurt the whales, you have other options. These brands all sell vegan lobster. (For example, you can make them at home by following this recipe for Easy Vegan Lobster Rolls.)

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1 Lily’s Vegan Pantry

New York-based Lilly’s Vegan Pantry, formerly known as May Wah Vegetarian Market, offers a wide range of different vegan seafood dishes, and lobster is no exception. The brand’s plant-based version of the crustacean is made with yam flour. It’s even shaped like a lobster and cooked in boiling water the same way (just so you can be sure there’s no trouble).
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NoPigNeva

2 NoPigNeva

Online marketplace NoPigNeva strives to provide vegans, vegetarians and vegans with an easy plant-based shopping experience. Its main goal is to provide an ethical alternative to every food craving you have, including hard-to-find products like vegan lobster. The brand’s offering is similar to Lily’s Vegan Pantry, and aims to give you “a little taste of Maine without the trip to the ocean.”
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Lord of Tofu

3 Lord of Tofu

Vegan brand Lord of Tofu aims to provide Germany, France and Switzerland with some of the best meat alternatives, using, you guessed it, tofu. Its range includes everything from vegan cheese to barbecue products and even “vegan seafood”. The latter includes tofu-based shrimp, tuna, salmon and, of course, lobster.
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