Caribbean Spiny Lobsters
Caribbean Spiny Lobster, along with Queen Conch, are critical to the ecology of marine habitats and form the backbone of the fisheries industry in Belize supplying local, tourist and export markets. The Wildlife Conservation Society is committed to supporting the sustainable use of these resources for future generations.
If you haven’t encountered the Caribbean Spiny Lobster in the wild, there’s a good chance you have actually interacted with this crustacean before on your dinner plate! If you’ve ever ordered lobster tail, the chances are you’re ordering spiny lobster.
This commercially important species lacks the large front claws of its cousin, the American lobster, so it’s mostly harvested for its tail meat.
They live in dense vegetation as juveniles but then move into coral reefs, sponges, and crevices as they grow. These lobsters can live for 20 years and — if the conditions are right — grow to an impressive two feet long.
Along with queen conch, the Caribbean spiny lobster is one of the most valuable exports for small Caribbean countries, and a collapse in this fishery would threaten coastal economies in many places.
Photograph by Glover’s Reef Research Station
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