août 24, 2016

What Needs To Be Observed When Getting Live Lobster Shipped

By John Meyer


There are a variety of reasons why you might be required to buy live crustaceans. You might run a pet store, own a seafood restaurant, or even want to cook them at home. If you do not live near a marine water body, you will need to get the live lobster shipped to where you are. In order for these animals to survive the journey, a couple of precautions need to be taken.

When lobsters are alive, they tend to spend a lot of their time in water, and therefore, when shipping them, they also have to stay moist. This can easily be done by regulating the temperature in the shipping vessel, and covering them in wet seaweed. Using freshwater will cause their bodies to absorb this water, and they will eventually burst. You can use some seawater, but you will need to aerate the container regularly, to ensure the water has enough oxygen.

The presence of contaminants in the air is one of the reasons why people prefer to use airtight packaging. However, with live animals, you need a continuous flow of fresh air, and therefore, all the containers need to be well aerated.

Considering these are live animals, they should be packed with care. You can put them in partitioned containers, to ensure that each animal has enough space. However, these spaces should also not be too big as the subsequent moving could cause the bumping of the animals, leading to broken shells. Some people choose to pack seaweed in with the lobsters, to lower this possibility.

The temperatures on most of the shipping vessels are usually quite low, especially if they are carrying fresh produce. Because most lobsters dwell in cold water, they should be stored at about forty degrees Fahrenheit, to ensure they are cool enough but not frozen. This might cause them to seem inactive when they arrive, but also reduces their oxygen and energy consumption.

The shipping company you use should have a good reputation. This is determined by their efficiency, hygiene standards, and work ethic. The shipping containers should be clean, to prevent contaminating your seafood. Look out for those companies that have a return policy, as they will try their best to deliver fresh produce, to ensure they do not incur losses.

The costs of shipping will also factor in when you are choosing which firm to use. High prices do not guarantee good services, and suspiciously low prices are a warning sign. If you want to shorten the delivery time or have your produce specially packed, you will have to pay a little extra but in most cases, it is worth it. You could also ask your local seafood shop to add your items to their regular order, which might allow you to save some money.

Even if you might want to believe that your produce is in good shape on arrival you need to inspect it, preferably with a company representative present. The containers used for packing should be sealed and the animals alive. You can check this by looking for signs of movement in the eyes and limbs. The shells should also be intact, and with no signs of discoloration.




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