An English fisherman accidentally caught a super rare blue lobster in Belfast Lough, considering it the catch of a lifetime.
The blue lobster caught by Stuart Brown, a 28-year-old fisherman. (Photo: Stuart Brown).
Stuart Brown, a 28-year-old fisherman from Bangor, County Down, discovered a live lobster with an “astonishingly unique appearance.”
This lobster was found near the Blackhead lighthouse. Mr. Brown released it after taking photos because it was smaller than the standard catch size.
“Perhaps it’s still out there, happily swimming along with the current. If someone catches this blue lobster again, I hope they will release it too,” he shared.
Mr. Stuart Brown, the fisherman who caught the rare lobster. (Photo: PA Wire).
His boat was at a depth of 15-18 meters when he caught the lobster. “I pushed the bucket for another fisherman to lift it, and he said it was very blue,” he recounted.
“Sometimes it’s normal to see brown or red lobsters; they just stand out more than others, but this time was really different.”
“I searched on Google to see how rare it was, and the odds of catching one are one in two million,” Brown told the press.
For Brown, this is one of the most strange and wonderful experiences since he started fishing at the age of 11.
While there have been similar discoveries in various regions across England, for Mr. Brown, this was the first time he had heard of a blue lobster.
Close-up of the super rare blue lobster. (Photo: PA Wire).
Most lobsters are dark brown, but a few individuals may exhibit unusual colors such as orange, red, and yellow.
According to scientists, the unusual blue color of this lobster is due to genetics.
Genetic differences can cause some lobsters to produce more types of proteins than others.
The blue lobster is believed to be so rare that some marine biologists estimate the chance of catching one is about one in two million.