A holiday treat William Atwood Lobster Co. of Spruce Head keeps busy filling orders from European homes, restaurants

More than 250,000 pounds of lobster is expected to be shipped overseas by Maine dealers in the next 10 days for Christmas and New Year’s entrees in European homes and restaurants.

The holiday crunch at William Atwood Lobster Co. in Spruce Head actually started Dec. 15, according to Bill McGonagle, chief operations officer at the firm.

“Sunday’s orders weren’t big, but that was the start of it,” he said. He added that “I can’t tell yet” if the season’s shipment will exceed last year’s orders. The company sold more than 60,000 pounds of lobster last season.

Atwood is the largest wholesale seafood shipper in Maine, especially during the Christmas season.

“We have lost some business because of the high price,” he said.

The going price Friday was $6.80 to $7 per pound, shipped to Europe. Domestic sales were “hovering around $6 per pound,” he said. For those who love larger lobsters, two-pounders and up were fetching $7.50 to $8 per pound. Fresh lobster meat is $25 to $30 per pound.

“Supply and demand controls what happens” with the price, McGonagle said, noting that bad weather is a factor in the higher prices, plus there are rumors that the Canadian lobstermen are “holding back for higher prices.”

At this time of year, Atwood gets the bulk of its crustaceans from Canada. McGonagle said most of the Maine lobstermen had already pulled their traps. The lobsters are bought in Canada and trucked to Spruce Head for overseas shipping and domestic sales.

The best shipping season of the year is now, McGonagle said. The lobsters are hard-shell and very lively. About 90 to 95 percent of the catch is shippable, compared to 40 to 50 percent during other times of the year. Only quality crustaceans are suitable for overseas shipping, he said.

“Quality to us is the number one priority,” McGonagle said.

During the Christmas season, Atwood employs 50 to 60 people to pull the finest sea critters from the temperature-controlled holding tanks and prepare them for air travel.

Most of the European sales go to France, Spain and Italy – with France being the largest consumer. McGonagle said that about 50 percent of all the lobster eaten in France during the year is consumed over the holidays.

How do the Europeans like their lobster cooked?

“From what I understand, grilling lobster is one thing they do a lot of,” McGonagle said.

But, no matter how it’s prepared the Maine lobster will be snapped up by countless Europeans over the holiday season.