I liberated a lobster and got crushed
It was in fact a Palinurus elephas, the spiny tailed lobster. A primarily nocturnal, saltwater creature that lives at great depth, it is listed as a "vulnerable" species on the IUCN Red List. Treated as a culinary delicacy, it is frequently taken from its natural environment and held captive in unfit conditions, ready to cook and serve up with a side of garlic butter. In court, a witness statement from the general manager of the restaurant confirmed that the crustacean in question was a spiny lobster, caught by a local fisherman. EquilibriumTo the restaurant, it was a croquette on a tasting menu: to the marine ecosystem, it is a vital, declining keystone species. While the species is also found in the warm Mediterranean, the court heard that this individual was from Lulworth, not Lloret de Mar, and it was released less than 10 miles from ‘home’. It is highly likely living its best natural lobster life in a deep, dark crevice, away from the bright lights and noise of the restaurant. When I returned that lobster to Weymouth harbour, I was attempting to restore a small piece of ecological equilibrium. Despite the completely false claims that I threw the animal "like a cricket ball" - a flourish of dramatic fiction - the court noted that I placed the animal carefully into the water.CrisisThe frustrated restaurateur shifted to a more sentimental narrative, claiming the lobster’s "mate" had died of loneliness. What better click-bait than to claim that a peaceful climate activist had ‘killed’ not one, but a pair of lobsters? But Palinurus elephas is a naturally solitary species. They do not "pine". In the cramped, high-vibration environment of a display tank, a roommate is a source of territorial stress, not romance. What’s more, if this lobster were truly a "beloved pet for educational purposes", it wouldn't have been kept in a bare, shallow tank under constant light and loud noise. Lobsters are sentient beings, meaning they can feel pain, distress, and discomfort, and this is recognized under UK law.So while the news columns were filled with the demonisation of a peaceful activist, the bigger picture is that we are living through an extreme ecological crisis.BystanderThere are three threats to our oceans that should be making front-page news every single day: loss of wildlife, ocean acidification and warming and the slowing of the key marine current known as the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (AMOC). Together these threaten the maintenance of global food security and the stability of organised society: our fundamental ability to survive.Nature doesn’t care about power, influence, or media narratives. Nature only cares about balance. And right now, the scales are tipping in a direction that none of us - restaurateurs and activists alike - will survive. I will not be a bystander and I don’t regret for a minute my simple, unplanned, and peaceful act to prevent ongoing harm to one vulnerable animal.This AuthorEmma Smart is a marine biologist and climate activist. She discovered a new species of fish, Garra smartae, when in her early 30s.
