Lobsterboys has launched a new podcast dedicated to transparency, empowering Canadian lobstermen and strengthening the lobster supply chain overall.Listen Now.
As fourth-generation lobstermen, we understand the challenges of harvesting lobster sustainably while maintaining profitability year after year. In the debut episode of theLobsterboys Podcast, we explore five game-changing strategies to help Canadian lobstermen thrive as the season kicks off.
Why does this matter to chefs, restaurants, and the hospitality industry? Supporting independent fishermen ensures sustainable oceans, bolsters coastal communities, and creates a fairer, more transparent seafood supply chain. It also guarantees traceability, so you know exactly where and how your lobsters are sourced.
Dive in to discover how these practices benefit everyone—from ocean to kitchen. Listen Now
1. Don’t Sell Blind
Many lobstermen are forced to commit to sell their catch before they get a price from a buyer, selling blind, and it’s one of the worst, outdated practices in the industry. Selling your catch without a clear price commitment—especially during the critical first week of the season—significantly hurts profitability, affecting captains, their crews, families and entire communities. At Lobsterboys, transparent pricing is essential for building long-term success. We publish customer pricing on our website and sell to end-customers every day. As a result, we have to know what price we can afford to buy at.That’s why we created theCanadian Lobster Shore Price Transparency Facebook Group for licensed commercial lobstermen. This private space allows members to share real-time pricing, call out unfair practices, and advocate for fairness across the industry. By fostering collaboration and transparency, we aim to protect the value of lobster fishermen’s hard work and help create a more equitable market for all.
2. Strategically Hold Lobsters to Maximize Value
Early-season market volatility presents challenges for both fishermen and buyers. By investing in storage capacity, lobstermen can retain premium-quality lobsters until markets stabilize, securing better prices and delivering superior products. This strategy not only boosts profitability for fishermen but also ensures that high-quality lobsters reach top-tier establishments.
At Lobsterboys, we bridge the gap by buying directly from fishermen and selling directly to hospitality customers, bypassing inefficient distributors and dealers in the process. This direct approach allows us to offer fair prices to fishermen while providing our customers with exceptional hard-shell lobsters at competitive rates. By emphasizing quality and sustainability, we ensure premium seafood that enhances menus and delivers long-term value for all of our partners.
3. Grade Your Own Lobsters
Grading your own lobsters is key to creating the right balance between quality and price. By separating hard-shell lobsters from soft-shell ones and categorizing by size, fishermen gain a clear understanding of their catch's value. This transparency not only enables fishermen to negotiate better pricing but also assures buyers of the quality they’re receiving.
Fishermen who grade their catch often report earning up to $3 more per pound, significantly increasing their profitability while delivering consistent, premium-quality seafood. At Lobsterboys, we empower lobstermen by helping them implement grading practices that ensure fair prices for their catch and competitive pricing for buyers. This approach supports a sustainable system where fishermen thrive, and hospitality clients—resorts, country clubs, and other premium establishments—receive the exceptional hard-shell lobsters they expect.
4. Invest In Your Business for Better Returns
Fishermen who treat their operations as a business—not just a job—are better equipped to deliver superior products to the market. By making consistent, year-over-year improvements in equipment, traps, and storage solutions, fishermen gain more control over their pricing and profitability while reducing reliance on middlemen.
For buyers, these investments support consistent access to top-quality, sustainably sourced lobsters. At Lobsterboys, we work directly with licensed commercial fishermen to ensure a steady supply of exceptional hard shell lobsters year round.
5. Check Prices Daily
In a dynamic market, knowledge is power. Encouraging fishermen to get multiple quotes and seek out the best prices creates a more transparent and competitive market—something that benefits everyone by ensuring fair pricing and trade practices that help the industry to thrive for generations to come.
Why This Matters to Hospitality Buyers
For chefs, food and beverage directors, and other decision-makers in hospitality, these strategies enhance your guest’s experience and your bottom line. A transparent, sustainable supply chain ensures access to the highest quality hard shell lobsters that your guests will appreciate, all while supporting ethical practices in the seafood industry.
At Lobsterboys, transparency and collaboration lead to better outcomes for everyone. From grading and storage to daily pricing information and sustainability, our approach is designed to ensure that the highest-quality hard shell lobsters make it from the ocean to kitchens across the US.
Partner with us in shaping a better future. Watch the full episode to learn more: Watch Now.
