After public outcry, the restaurant's board of directors concluded it would “be contrary to the personal ethics of the individual board members as well as the business principles of the company” to hold the lobster, according to a statement the company.
Michelle Costa, secretary at Capt'n Elmer's, said the restaurant received a number of emails and calls in defense of the lobster.
“It's a majestic creature, it's lived for over 100 years, it deserves to live,” Costa said, summarizing some of the opinions expressed by the public.
The lobster will still be raffled off, but instead of receiving the monster lobster, the winner can choose to receive 21 pounds of retail lobster or join the release team to liberate the lobster. Costa said it's “better to be discreet” about the location of where the crustacean will be freed, to prevent it from being recaptured.
Reprinted with permission.
July 21, 2012
