Mass. Lobster Day on Oct. 6

Yes, the summer is fading into memory but lobsters are still tasty, inexpensive and timely to eat: Oct. 6 is Massachusetts official Lobster Day.

Because you may not know everything about the crustacean - or those that fish them - here are some lobstah tidbits, courtesy of the Massachusetts Lobstermen’s Association and Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries.

* There are 1,245 state-issued lobster permits to catch the spiny animals in waters three miles from shore – and fishermen use about 300,000 traps. (By comparison Maine has approximately 7,000 licenses and reportedly over 3 million traps.)

* There are 52 ports in Massachusetts that have commercial lobster trap fishermen.

* In 2011 over 13.7 million pounds of lobsters were commercially landed in Massachusetts. Of that figure, approximately 8 million pounds were caught in state waters.

* This total generated a gross income of $54,649,765.00 for the lobster fishermen who reported landings.

* This income also generated approximately $250,000,000 for the economy through lobster fishermen to marine suppliers, bait dealers, lobster dealers (wholesalers, retailers & restaurants), trap and rope manufacturers, fuel sales, boat and engine builders, banks and insurance companies.

The Massachusetts lobster fishery is this states’ most valuable state waters single species fishery. Only the State of Maine exceeds the Commonwealth in the entire United States in the size and value of its American Lobster (Homaurus Americanus).

* At certain times of the year Massachusetts lobsters are a vital source of the world supply and therefore contribute lobster not only for the local needs and tourist businesses here in Massachusetts, but also supply the rest of the United States, European and Asian markets. At other times it’s a combination of Massachusetts and Maine product that is the major world supply. In the winter months it is primarily Canadian product coming to Boston and then out again that supplies the world demand.

* The average lobster trap costs $60 per trap and the rope for that trap averages $8. Buoys can range from $5 per buoy to as high as $25. Buoy loss is a major problem with boats and ships breaking off the buoys.