Lobster Divers feeling the pinch
Did you ever wonder how lobster—once considered such a delicacy—manages to make its way to your plate for such an affordable price? Many restaurants that now offer lobster specials seem to draw from some inexhaustible source of lobsters, letting consumers dine without breaking their pocketbooks… or worrying about the consequences.
Hidden Costs
In fact, in human terms the cost of lobsteris enormous. Often, not only the price has been discounted, but the welfare of the communities where lobsters are harvested. Along the Mosquito Coast in Nicaragua and Honduras, 90% of local income comes from lobster diving. Alternate employment opportunities are limited, and lobster diving can provide a better-than-average living to young men in these communities.
The price, however, is sometimes steep. Many young men find themselves diving for lobster in extremely dangerous circumstances, without the proper gear. Large companies push the divers to dive deeper and with greater frequency than advised by recognized safety standards. The results have sometimes been tragic. Many divers have suffered decompression sickness, resulting in paralysis and even death. The employers rarely provide divers with adequate health care or medical benefits, and there are not even enough wheelchairs to provide for the divers left paralyzed.
A Better Way
A consumer boycott on lobster from the Mosquito Coast would not immediately benefit the divers and communities being harmed by current practices. Consumers can provide pressure to improve conditions.
Consumer demand for dolphin-safe tuna led tuna companies to reform their practices. Advocates for lobster divers hope the same will happen in their industry, that someday soon consumers will be able to shop for “diver-safe lobster.”
For more information, contact Sub-Ocean Safety International, an organization that has been working with divers for the past 10 years. In addition to pressuring large lobster buyers to demand diver-safe lobster, you can donate needed materials to the affected communities along the Mosquito Coast.
Learn more about the Conscious Consumer Marketplace.
If you would like for your company to be listed in the Conscious Consumer Marketplace, please email Mary Jo Snavely or call 301.891.3683 ext. 110.