The lobster hasn't always been considered a delicacy. During the early part of the 19th century it was caught with such prevalence and in such abundance that is was used as fertilizer for farms around the coast. Around the middle part of the 19th century, lobstering became an industry in the state of Maine. The rest of the world was introduced to this crustacean when the lobster became a canned good around the latter part of the 19th century. This solved the transportation problem making this fine product available year round, anywhere in the world. In turn, this reduced the number of significant sized lobsters because of increased fishing efforts.
Up until this point there was no real need for fishing regulations, but now, with a large demand, the local supply was becoming increasingly pressured, and regulations are inforced to ensure the stock remains stable. There are more than 30,000 fishermen that produce around 35,000 metric tons of lobster every year. Today, the Northeast United States and Canada produce more lobster than ever, and with modern technology, live lobsters are shipped all over the world.
