Live Maine lobsters have made Maine famous the world over. Approximately 40 million pounds of live Maine lobsters are pulled from the waters off the coast of Maine each year. More than half of the lobsters harvested in the United States are live Maine lobsters.

Live Maine lobsters are known for their big, meaty claws. Lobstermen catch live Maine lobsters the year round, but the majority of the live Maine lobsters are harvested in the summer and autumn months. After live Maine lobsters are trapped and pulled from the water, strong bands are put around their claws. These serve to protect the people handling the live Maine lobsters from their sharp and powerful claws.

Live Maine lobsters shed their shells at regular intervals and grow into new shells. It can take several years for live Maine lobsters to grow to one pound, the weight they must legally be in order to be harvested.

Live Maine lobsters that have just shed their shells are called new shell lobsters. Many people feel that live Maine lobsters with new shells have sweeter, tastier, more tender meat. They also appreciate the relative ease of removing the shell from new shell lobsters. However, because of their soft shell, new shell live Maine lobsters do not always travel well.

Live Maine lobsters with hard shells have not shed their shells for a while. They have grown into their shells and tend to have more meat. Many people prefer the firmer meat of hard shell live Maine lobsters. They consider the soft shell meat to be too watery. It is much harder to crack the hard shells of these live Maine lobsters, but many consider the extra work to be worth it.

To store live Maine lobsters, put them in an open container in the refrigerator. Put seaweed or seawater moistened paper towels in the container with the live Maine lobsters to keep their gills moist. Live Maine lobsters can be kept alive in this way for up to 48 hours. Live Maine lobsters should not be kept in an airtight container and put in fresh water because they will suffocate.