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No, lobsters and prawns are different types of crustaceans. Although both belong to the same class (Crustacea) and order (Decapoda), lobsters are marine animals with a harder exoskeleton and distinct body shape, while prawns are mostly freshwater species with longer legs and different claw arrangements.
It is illegal to keep lobsters that are either too small or too large to protect breeding populations and ensure sustainable lobster stocks. Small lobsters have not yet reached reproductive age, and large lobsters are mature breeders essential for maintaining healthy populations, so size limits help prevent overfishing.
Lobsters can live for a very long time, often exceeding 100 years. Their age can be roughly estimated by multiplying their weight in pounds by four and adding three years, so a 1-pound lobster is approximately 7 years old, and older lobsters can grow much larger and heavier over time.
Lobster is expensive due to its slow growth rate, long lifespan, strict legal regulations controlling size and catch seasons, the specialised equipment required for harvesting, high demand as a luxury seafood item, and the costs involved in handling and shipping live lobsters.
