One-pound lobsters, which Mainers call “chicks,” are now selling for about $12 @ pound; a couple dollars more per pound more than six months ago. The U.S. lobster industry, based heavily in Maine, is in a slow period as fishermen prepare to pull summer traps. Lack of fishing effort & high prices may cause the seafood industry to raise the possibility of a shortage, but industry members say the opposite is true- as Canada’s spring fishing season is heating up. Lobster History: When the first European settlers reached North America, lobsters were so plentiful that they would wash ashore in piles up to 2 feet high. Their bounty made them a precious source of sustenance during hard times & gave them a bad reputation as the poor man’s protein. Around 1880, lobsters began to shed its negative reputation & gained a following among discriminating diners in Boston & New York City. Prices immediately began to rise. Lobster trapping in Maine became an efficient way to collect the sea creatures. Though considered a rich & decadent, lobster meat contains fewer calories than an equal portion of skinless chicken breast. It contains healthy omega-3 fatty acids, potassium & vitamins E, B-12 & B-6.