Western Rock Lobster vs Imported Lobster — Country of Origin

Side-by-side

Australia

Western Rock Lobster

Western Australia

🇦🇺 Local

MSC Certified Since2000

Protein (per 100g)20.2g

Wild vs. FarmedWild-caught (pots)

Quota ManagementITQ

Bycatch RateVery low (pot fishery)

Live Trade StandardsWorld-leading

Price per kg~$110

Overall rating: Western Rock Lobster scores 9.6/10 — global benchmark for sustainable wild-capture lobster.

N. America / Caribbean

Imported Lobster

Canada / USA / Cuba

MSC Certified SinceVariable

Protein (per 100g)18.9g

Wild vs. FarmedWild-caught

Quota ManagementVariable

Bycatch RateVariable

Live Trade StandardsVariable

Price per kg~$70

Overall rating: Imported lobster scores 6.5/10 — freshness varies, especially for frozen or long-haul live shipments.

Nutrition (per 100g)

How Western Rock Lobster compares to imported equivalents on key nutrients.

Protein20.2g18.9g

Selenium70µg55µg

Vitamin B121.4µg1µg

Zinc3.5mg2.8mg

Copper1.6mg1.2mg

Price context

Why is the imported product cheaper?

Imported alternatives (US/Canada lobster, NZ packhorse) are cheaper. WRL is the world's largest single-species lobster fishery and has held MSC certification since 2000.

By the numbers

Carbon footprinteditorial

AUS7.5 kg

Imported18 kg

kg CO₂e per kg

Source: Country of Origin — carbon-footprint estimate

Australian jobs supported

AUS9 Australian

Imported0 Australian

Australian FTE per tonne

Source: FRDC economic contribution

Freshness — harvest to retaileditorial

AUS3 days

Imported14 days

days pot-to-plate (live)

Source: Country of Origin — freshness day estimates

Quality & integrity

Welfare & ethics

Australia: Pot-caught; oxygenated live transport

Imported: Mixed

Mislabelling risk

Australia: Very low

Imported: Low

Traceability

Australia: Tag-to-plate via Geraldton co-op chain

Imported: Variable

Bottom line

Bottom line

WRL is the gold-standard global benchmark for lobster sustainability — imports rarely match its supply chain.

Sources

Sources cited on this page

Western Australia Rock Lobster — first fishery certified — Marine Stewardship Council, 2000
MSC certified Australian fisheries — Marine Stewardship Council, 2024
Australian seafood industry — economic contribution — Fisheries Research and Development Corporation, 2023

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