Lobster crazy China sets record for US crustacean imports

American lobster was almost unheard of in China until 2010, when the value of imports grew 250 per cent to about $7.4 million. (Photo: Tatiana Vdb/ Flickr)

ROCKPORT, Maine –The expanding market for lobsters in China is continuing to grow, with the country setting a new record for the value of its imports of the crustaceans from the United States.

American lobster was almost unheard of in China until 2010, when the value of imports grew 250 per cent to about $7.4 million. Last year, China imported more than $108 million in lobsters from America, surpassing the previous high of about $90.2 million in 2014.

Chinese importers took in more than 14 million pounds of lobsters last year, which was also a record. The previous high was about 13.1 million pounds in 2015.

The uptick came in a record year for lobster catch in Maine. Atlantic Canada also has a lobster fishery and sends the same species to China.