Shellfish Disease Plaguing Lobster Industry [Windows Media Player] http://www.mpbn.net/radio/mainenews/080822disease.htm Rock lobster season 'prosperous' in south http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/southlandtimes/4675873a6568.html Gulf of Maine Research Institute: Lobster Den [Macromedia Flash Player] http://gmri.org/media/videoPage.asp?ID=18 The Lobster Institute [Real Player, pdf] http://www.lobsterinstitute.org/ How To Eat Lobster http://www.gma.org/lobsters/eatingetc.html For centuries, Homarus americanus (also known as the American lobster) was considered food for the poor, and it wasn't until the 1840s that members of the upper crust began to consume these crustaceans in significant quantities. Now, when people visit states like Maine and Massachusetts, sitting down to eat lobster can be the sine qua non of their entire trip to New England. The entire world of lobster consumption in that corner of the United States has been rent asunder in recent months as fewer people are choosing to order this delicacy as part of their dining experience. Like diamond-encrusted skulls by Damien Hirst and pied-a-terre in Manhattan's Upper West Side, lobsters are often thought of as a luxury item, and many people can be quick to cut such an indulgence out of their discretionary budget. Record lobster catches around New England haven't helped the economic situation for lobster fishermen as prices for this aquatic morsel continue to drop, while the price of fuel and bait remains high. Commenting on the situation, Bob Bayer of the Lobster Institute at the University of Maine remarked, "This means hard times, and it means some [fishermen] are not going to make it." The first link will take visitors to an article by the New York Times' Katie Zezima on the recent fortunes of the lobster industry. The second link leads to a recent piece from the Maine Public Broadcasting Network which discusses the shellfish disease that has begun to impact the lobster population in both Maine and Rhode Island. On a more positive note, the third link will take visitors to a news story from this Tuesday's Southland Times about the very fruitful harvest that rock lobster fishermen are enjoying this season in New Zealand. The fourth link will whisk users away to an intriguing video of a lobster den, provided courtesy of the Gulf of Maine Research Institute. Moving on, the fifth link will take interested parties to the homepage of the Lobster Institute at the University of Maine. Here visitors can learn about lobster biology, take a lobster quiz, and even learn about their popular "Lobster College". Finally, the last link leads to a bit of helpful information on how to eat a lobster, which answers such questions as "Should you have a soft-shell or hard-shell lobster?" and "What is the nutritional value of lobster?" as well as other items of lobster interest.