When is Maine Lobster Season?

Since Maine lobsters are so readily available year-round, is there really an official Maine lobster season? Officially no, there are no specific lobster season dates. However...

...according to the Maine Lobster Council, from late June through late December Maine lobstermen are at their busiest, with lobster hauls reaching their peak during the fall.

Why are these the prime months for lobster season in Maine?

During the summer and fall, the waters of the northern Atlantic Ocean are warmer, making Maine lobster fishing easier, the days are longer...

...and the seas are calmed by the absence of the notoriously dangerous winter storms that often overtake the Gulf of Maine.

The Maine lobster season is also driven by the high demand for lobster during July, August and September, and again as the December holidays approach.

Finding Live Maine Lobsters for Sale

If you live in New England, you can usually buy live Maine lobster direct from your favorite fish market or at a local supermarket, at any time during the year.

However, in other parts of the United States, and around the world, fresh Maine lobster is usually not as readily available. In order to enjoy this decadent treat, you may need to buy lobster online. For that, you can...

...buy live wholesale Maine lobster that comes directly from Maine fishing boats and is shipped overnight, or...

...order Maine lobster online from any one of a number of seafood distributors who specialize in shipping Maine lobster. When ordering this way you will likely have a choice, and can order a whole live lobster OR frozen lobster tails.

You may also be interested in:
Canned Lobster, Maine Lobster Fishing, Types of Tails

Types of Lobsters

If you are buying lobster online, you won't have a choice. Your lobster is going to arrive at your doorstep with a hard shell. But at certain times of the year, often during the Maine lobster season, your local grocer may have soft shell Maine lobsters for sale.

How does a lobster get a soft shell? As many as 25 times during the first 6-7 years of its life, a lobster will outgrow its shell. After that time - usually in the spring or fall - around every two years a female will outgrow hers, and once a year the male will outgrow his.

Since a lobsters shell does not allow for expansion, the current shell must be shed and a new one must form. This process is known as lobster molt or molting.

While a new shell forms it is soft to the touch, hardening gradually over a period of weeks. It is during this time that soft shell lobsters, otherwise known as shedders or new shell, are available. And it is because the shells are so soft and vulnerable to cracking that they are sold only in stores and not online.

When are the best months for Maine lobster?

My suggestion...
Eat lobster during the Maine lobster season AND off-season. Water temperatures and other varying conditions contribute to the taste of lobster meat and you don't want to miss out on what might have been your best lobster of the year!