Charlie's Lobsters

We've always bought our lobsters live, taken them home, and cooked them. But now lobster is a commodity. Like sugar, coffee and cocoa prices vary according to supply and demand. Commodity traders try to buy cheaply and sell expensively by being able to access stock when supply is short or demand is high. Of course sugar, coffee and cocoa are quite easy to keep. But lobster? Do you feel like buying lobster futures?

Over the time we've been here Charlie Yeoward has gradually increased his presence in the harbour until today Yeoward and Dowie is the predominant company. From new boats to yard services and from marine fuels to Dory hire the business is comprehensive. And they control the majority of deep water, tidal and pontoon moorings in the harbour. They also sell crabs and lobsters. In the absence of lobster off the boat we've always bought our crabs and lobsters from the yard.


Now Yeoward and Dowie have gone into the lobster business big time. They buy lobster wherever they can whilst it's cheap and hold them in suspended animation at 4°C - there to lie until the price is right. Visiting the yard I was proudly shown Charlie's 'revivicator' - a large white anonymous-looking cabinet from the outside. But inside are trays and trays of heavy lobsters, their claws ensnared, awaiting market movement.

Time will tell whether this is the right time to go into lobster futures. Certainly the US lobster market is deep in the doldrums but with the world beginning to come out of recession and the inevitable closed season approaching perhaps this will be another Yeoward success?

But as we are here and our need is now we do not feel the need to ask Charlie to revivicate one for us. We'll stick to local lobsters living and prepare them for ourselves.