Undercurrent News aims to provide accurate, transparent price assessments for the lobster sector. These assessments will reflect key market trends and offer clarity for buyers, sellers, traders, and other participants within the supply chain.
All assessments listed here follow the IOSCO-aligned Undercurrent News Price Reporting Methodology, which provides transparency and clarity on data collection, pricing criteria, and assessment processes.
Our methodologies are updated periodically to reflect the latest market standards and practices. When changes are made, subscribers will be informed through our regular publications and communications. Our market reporting team can address questions or provide additional guidance on methodology details or assessment-related inquiries. They can be contacted at [email protected].
Our lobster market assessments cover various categories and product types, segmented by species, processing type, and origin to ensure comprehensive price reporting.
| Species | Origin |
|---|---|
| Live American lobster (Homarus americanus) | Canada, United States |
| Warm water lobster tails (Panulirus argus) | Brazil & Caribbean |
| Cold water lobster tails (Homarus americanus) | Canada, United States |
| Lobster meat (Homarus americanus) | Canada, United States |
Frozen lobster tails and frozen lobster meat are both priced on an ex-warehouse basis, meaning the listed price reflects the cost of the product once it is available at the seller’s warehouse. In contrast, live lobster is quoted on an FOB New England basis, reflecting the cost of the product at the point of origin prior to transport, which aligns with regional trade norms for live shipments.
All lobster pricing, whether for frozen tails, frozen meat, or live product, reflects less-than-truckload (LTL) volumes, which is standard across the wholesale seafood industry. This provides a practical view of transactional market values. Prices are reported in $/lb, the standard unit of measure for lobster products.
Our methodology prioritizes data to ensure accuracy and market reflection:
Independent, confirmed trades are prioritized to form the basis of our assessments.
Validated bids and offers open to the market are considered.
Includes relevant data on trends, related product relationships, and general market activity.
Where needed, we use general indications from experienced market participants to supplement transactional data.
Lobster prices are updated and published weekly on Wednesdays at noon EST to capture timely and accurate market shifts.
Data is gathered daily from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. EST, capturing current trading information to feed into upcoming assessments.
Have questions or need more information about our price assessments? Our expert price reporting team is here to help. Whether you’re looking for market insights or guidance on submitting data, don’t hesitate to reach out—we’re committed to providing clarity and support.
