European spiny lobster, Red lobster, Crawfish
Spiny lobsters have a striking appearance with a reddish-brown, heavily armoured shell covered in spines and two long, whip-like antennae. Unlike common lobsters, they lack large claws. Their tail meat is firm, succulent, and slightly sweeter than that of clawed lobsters, with a delicate, refined flavour.
Spiny lobsters are found along rocky reefs and underwater caves in the warmer waters of the northeast Atlantic, including Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. They favour depths of 5–70m and are typically more active at night. After years of decline, crawfish are slowly recovering in Cornish waters thanks to conservation efforts.
Sustainability Rating
Status: Stocks are recovering following historical overfishing, and there are strict measures in place to protect them.
Best Choice: Crawfish caught using pots around the Isles of Scilly and southwest Cornwall. Potting is a highly selective, low-impact method.
Avoid: Crawfish from areas without management plans or caught using damaging or non-selective fishing gear.
Culinary Uses
A prized delicacy with a sweet, lobster-like flavour. Traditionally grilled or boiled and served with butter or light citrus dressings. Tail meat is often used in salads, pasta, or refined seafood dishes. Highly valued in Mediterranean and haute cuisine.
Best Fishing Practices
Caught using pots, which allow undersized or berried individuals to be returned unharmed. Cornwall has local bylaws setting minimum sizes and catch restrictions. All crawfish must be landed whole to ensure traceability and prevent illegal harvesting.
Seasonality
Available from July to October. Outside of this period, a no-take season helps protect spawning crawfish and support population recovery.
Supporting Local, Sustainable Seafood
Choosing Cornish crawfish helps support the ongoing recovery of a once-depleted species. With sustainable potting practices and seasonal restrictions in place, crawfish from Cornwall are a rare, responsibly sourced luxury that benefits both local ecosystems and coastal communities.
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