California fishermen land record-breaking spiny lobster

Fishermen in California have landed a record-breaking spiny lobster.

The crustacean weighed in at a whopping 20 pounds and measured almost three feet long.

It was caught by fishermen in San Diego using a lobster trap.

This is believed to be the largest spiny lobster ever caught off the coast of California.

Florida divers catch spiny lobster weighing nearly 20 pounds

Florida divers caught a spiny lobster weighing nearly 20 pounds, prompting state wildlife officials to remind recreational fishers Saturday that the crustaceans must measure at least 5.5 inches from the eye socket to the end of the carapace to be kept.

The big lobster was among several hauled in by a group of divers off Ponce Inlet, near Daytona Beach, over the past week.

"We tend not to get many of these terribly large ones," said Greg Workman, a spokesman for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

State law allows recreational anglers to keep up to six spiny lobsters per day, provided they measure at least 5.5 inches from the eye socket to the end of the carapace. Anything larger must be released back into the ocean.

Workman said it was unclear how or where the big lobster ended up in shallow water close to shore, but biologists believe it may have been stunned after being caught in a trawl net before being tossed overboard by fishermen.

"There's always a chance when they get picked up in those nets that they'll be released alive," Workman said. "But most likely it would have been dead."

Rare spiny lobster found in UK supermarket

A rare spiny lobster has been found in a UK supermarket.

The crustacean was discovered by a shopper at a branch of Asda in Bath, Somerset.

The creature is usually only found in the Mediterranean and the Caribbean.

It is not known how it ended up in the supermarket's tank.

An employee at the store said: "We've had it for about four or five days now and we're not sure how it got here."

The spiny lobster has a black shell with spikes running down its back.

It can grow up to 33cm (13in) long and weigh up to 2kg (4lb).

Spiny lobsters are not common catches in UK waters, but they do turn up from time to time. In 2012, two were caught by fishermen off Pembrokeshire in Wales.

Anglers net massive spiny lobster off the coast of Maine

Some anglers netted an impressive catch while fishing off the coast of Maine over the weekend – a massive spiny lobster.

The crustacean, which weighed in at 6.5 pounds and measured just over 17 inches long, is thought to be among the biggest ever caught in the area.

"It was a monster," said one of the fishermen who caught it, according to the Portland Press Herald.

Spiny lobsters are found in waters along the eastern seaboard of the United States and Canada, as well as in parts of the Caribbean. They typically grow to weigh around 4-5 pounds, although some record catches have been made.

The fishermen who caught the 6.5-pounder said they were using traps baited with herring when they hauled it up. They estimated that the lobster was at least 25 years old.

While not considered a delicacy like their Maine cousins, spiny lobsters can still be eaten, and many fishermen sell them live to restaurants and seafood markets.

Texas restaurant serves up giant spiny lobster

A seafood restaurant in Texas is getting a lot of attention for its giant spiny lobster.

The lobster, which is about the size of a small dog, was caught off the coast of Mexico. It's now on the menu at The Oasis Restaurant in Port Aransas.

The restaurant is charging $75 for a six-ounce serving of the lobster.

Owner Jerry Schussler says it's the biggest spiny lobster he's ever seen.