Oceana Group :: Oceana Lobster


		About - Products

	The division is internationally respected as a reliable producer and exporter of prime quality live and frozen South African Rock Lobster and frozen Squid products, and produces and markets value added potato products through Lamberts Bay Foods.



		Species: (English): Cape Spiny Rock Lobster (West Coast Rock Lobster) - (Latin): Jasus Lalandii Lobsters belong to a family of arthropods which are characterised by a horny exoskeleton. The body is segmented to allow flexure between segments and the limbs are jointed to allow bending. The body space is continuous and no internal repetition of organs occur. The tail fan is spine tipped.

Fishing Grounds

Lobsters are caught in the intertidal zone to ±120m from Lüderitz to Mossel Bay, off the West and South Coasts of Southern Africa.

Production

Production facilities are in Hout Bay and St Helena Bay.

Production Process

1) Receive Lobster - factory inspection to ensure live quality is at premium (lame and damaged lobsters are removed for tailing)
2) Weighed and sorted

3) Live Storage (in sea water) and purging (dead lobsters are removed every two hours)
4) Lobsters are removed from tank
5) Lobsters are sorted, graded, weighed and chilled
6) Packed (woodwool / foam sheet, polystyrene carton, ice bottle)
7) Chilled storage then placed in refrigerated truck
8) Dispatched

Markets: China, Japan, France, Italy, Greece, Portugal, Reunion, Hong Kong.
98% of live lobster is for export market while 2% is for distribution on the local market.

Availability: December to October

Size/s: packed live in 6kg, 10kg, 14kg polystyrene boxes
Weight: Weights vary per count
Count (number units per 10kg box):

Count 36-48 - 200-280g
Count 30-36 - 280-330g
Count 25-30 - 330-400g
Count 20-25 - 400-500g
Count 16-20 - >500g

Live West Coast Rock Lobster is packed in the various grades and masses in polystyrene cartons at a temperature not exceeding 6 degrees Celsius with woodwool or foam sheets and a coolant (wrapped in clear newspaper) for flying out to both export and local markets. The lobster is air-freighted and arrives at its final destination within 35 hours of being packaged.