Huge lobster caught off England's south coast
The humongous decapod, who measures close to three feet in length, was spared the pot and will live out his days in an aquarium.
The lobster that was caught off the coast of West Sussex is not quite as big as this sculpture in Shediac, New Brunswick, the site of the world's largest lobster sculpture. But it was still pretty huge.
Cindy Miller Hopkins/DanitaDelimont.com/Newscom
London
One of the biggest and oldest lobsters ever caught in Britain has been saved from the pot and will live out the rest of its long life in an aquarium.
The massive crustacean measures close to one meter (3 feet) in length and weighs more than 4 kg (9 lb).
"He's a fantastic specimen and by his size alone he has got to be at least 50 years old," said Lindsay Holloway of the Blue Reef aquarium in Portsmouth, southern England where the lobster now lives.
"He is an amazing creature and it's quite an achievement to have reached such an impressive age," he added.
The lobster was caught in around 14 feet of water by a compassionate angler fishing for sole in Bracklesham Bay, off the coast of West Sussex.
Lobsters are among the planet's oldest inhabitants with fossil remains found dating back more than 100 million years. They are also extremely long-lived with some reaching ages of over 80 years.
The aquarium said the heaviest recorded crustacean is an Atlantic lobster nicknamed Mike who was caught in 1934 and tipped the scales at an awesome 19 kg.