Rare cotton candy lobster caught in Maine

PORTLAND, Maine — Lobsters are plentiful off the coast of Maine, but this is a rare, sweet find.

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A cotton candy lobster was caught by Bill Coppersmith on Nov. 5 in Casco Bay, an inlet of the Gulf of Maine, according to Live Science. The lobster has been nicknamed Haddie, for Coppersmith’s granddaughter.

The cotton candy lobster gets its name from its iridescent, opal-like shades that include blue and pink streaks due to a genetic mutation, WGME reported. The odds of finding such a crustacean are 1 in 100 million lobsters, according to the television station.

Coppersmith is a contract fisherman for Get Maine Lobster, according to Live Science.

“Bill and his crew were extremely excited,” Mark Murrell, CEO of Get Maine Lobster, told Live Science in an email.

Coppersmith has been fishing for 40 years, but it was the first time he has caught a cotton candy lobster, WGME reported.

However, Coppersmith has caught his share of unique lobsters, pulling in orange and white ones, CNN reported. Like Haddie, he named them after his grandchildren.

Haddie is resting in her tank at Get Maine Lobsters, and company officials said they have no intention of selling or cooking her.

The organization is reaching out to local organizations and any interested aquariums to adopt her, the television station reported.

Interested parties can learn more at www.getmainelobster.com.

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