Rare blue lobster caught by father and son in Maine

PORTLAND, Maine - You never know what the waters will turn up, and in Luke Rand’s case, it was a rare blue lobster. 

The 36-year-old from Portland, Maine, said he and his father captured the unique crustacean last Thursday in Casco Bay, an inlet in the Gulf of Maine. 

"We caught it early in the day and were taken back by how blue it was," Rand told FOX Television Stations.

The father and son said they have been lobstering for more than 20 years. 

Rare blue lobster caught in Maine. (Credit: Luke Rand)

"My first instinct was to pull out my phone to document the find because it was such a rare occasion," Rand continued. 

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Rand said the lobster will be donated to be studied or released back into the wild. 

According to the Maine Lobstermen’s Community Alliance, the color of lobsters can vary.

According to the Alliance, lobster shells contain astaxanthin, a pigment to determine their color. Astaxanthin is naturally red but can change to blue or yellow when combined with proteins.

While the find may be novel to much of the country, Maine has seen its share of rare lobsters, and they’ve even been discovered at restaurant chains.

"While a blue lobster can be found each season somewhere in these waters, a lobsterman can go his whole life never catching one," Rand added. 

This story was reported from Los Angeles.