Rising lobster prices impacting Rhode Islanders

NARRAGANSETT, R.I. (WLNE) — You may have noticed sky-high lobster prices or lobster taken off the menu for your Mother’s Day meal — with the cost of the New England specialty rising. 

According to Gregory Mataronas, president of the Rhode Island Lobsterman’s Association, for a restaurant owner to buy a lobster from a local fisherman, it’s going to cost about $18 to $20 per lobster compared to around $12 to $14 per lobster in 2020. 

“At a restaurant level we have to make decision whether or not we’re going to actually take them in and offer them at very increased prices to our customers or whether or not we take them in and still make less money by offering them at lower prices,” Michael Tatro, operations manager at George’s of Galilee, said. 

The higher lobster prices were from an increase in demand and the high price of diesel for fishing boats, Mataronas said. 

On Monday, the price of diesel hit an all-time high in Rhode Island at more than $6.30 per gallon.