The Lobster Trap: The Global Fight for a Seafood on the Brink

Investigative reporter Mercer debuts with a deeply researched look at the multibillion-dollar lobster industry as two major forces—constant worldwide demand and climate change—have the potential to spell its doom. He chronicles the history of the North American lobster boom, explaining that the supply of lobsters once seemed limitless; in the 1990s, harvesting them yielded such great quantities that McDonald’s restaurants in Canada were able to sell inexpensive “McLobster” sandwiches. Modern technology has allowed for live lobsters to be shipped to restaurants around the world in a matter of days, spurring an unending appetite for the crustaceans that encourages overfishing. At the same time, rising ocean temperatures are hindering reproduction and causing lobsters to become more susceptible to disease. Mercer visits fishing communities across Canada and New England to detail the fierce competition for the dwindling supply of lobsters that many local economies rely on, as well as the dangers fishermen are willing to endure to catch them, including deadly waves that can capsize boats. He grounds this global saga in moving human stories, like that of a lifelong Canadian lobsterman who worries his children won’t be able to carry on the family legacy. This is a revelatory account of an industry on the verge of collapse. (Aug.)