Lonely Planet™ · Thorn Tree Forum · 2020

Bahama-Cuban lobster

Country forums / Cuba / Cuba

Sorry hit enter instead of bk sp. While in the Exumas I was talking to a fisherman and asked him if they had "Rock lobster" in their waters, he said only Spiney lobster but he just happened to have some and opened his freezer and low and behold a "mother load". It seems they make deals with Fidels captains now and then whenever their boats cross paths.......@$1usd per tail.....sell at $10 to $15, New houses are popping up thanks fidel.

Right on! Lobsterman is also one of the most highly paid occupations in Cuba. I had lunch in Havana 'coupla years ago with an in-law lobster boat captain. I asked him why, entrusted with a boat and fuel as he was, he didn't make a break for freedom? He laughed and asked me if I was crazy. He then described the means by which and amount he and his crew were compensated. I now understand better why at least one family is happy to remain in Cuba.

1

I buy some frozen form of lobster tails in Cuba all the time. I get 10-12 tails for $12-20, depending on a lot of factors (Es Cuba, no?). They are always frozen and are only the tails (colitas) of a smaller variety of lobster. Are these Cuban lobsters "Spiney" Lobsters? Tails sell for $12-30/pound in the States

The fishermen in Cuba that captivate me are the ones who construct, from styrofoam pieces held together by questionable glue and very iffy materials, tiny 2' X 5' rafts with an opening in the middle between the two men that ride on the raft. They sit facing each other as they move this fragile little craft 2-3 miles out to sea to catch whatever they can get into their nets or hooks. Oh, and did I mention? They do this in the blackness of Cuban nights.

I love that fresh pargo a lot. It tastes better when you know where it came from.

2

Rock and spiny lobster are one and the same.

3

Gres is right, it is called both spiny, rock or spiny rock lobster. The buzz is that Cuban lobster is consistantly larger. The same or different, the taste just seemed better knowing it's shadey past. Here's to THE BOSS!!!

4

10-15 a tail ?

Hmmm We were getting about 6 on GBI a couple years ago.

Time to dig out the Hawaian sling.

5