Tourists face criticism for their actions amid concerns over environmental impact.
A mother and daughter from Texas caused a viral stir in Italy last weekend when they purchased all the lobsters from a restaurant aquarium near Pompeii and released them into the sea.
The well-intentioned gesture by the women has since attracted criticism from marine biology experts over its potential environmental consequences.
What happened
The tourists were dining at the Mercato Pompeiano restaurant in Pompeii when they noticed a tank of live lobsters next to their table.
According to the restaurant’s owners, the pair spent some time watching the crustaceans before deciding to buy the entire stock – around 10 animals – to save them from being served as food.
The daughter used a net normally employed by the waiting staff to remove the lobsters one by one from the tank, and the women then travelled by taxi to the beach at Castellammare di Stabia, where they released the creatures by flinging them into the sea.
The mother filmed the entire operation on her mobile phone. In a message sent in English to the restaurant owner afterwards, the daughter wrote: “Thank you for allowing us to do this. Even if they live just a few more days, it was worth it. My mom had always wanted to do this whenever we saw lobsters in restaurants, but it had never been possible before.”
The video spread quickly on social media. While many praised the women for their compassion, the episode has also prompted pointed questions from those with knowledge of marine ecosystems.
Environmental and legal implications
Several marine biology enthusiasts and science communicators noted that releasing animals kept in captivity cannot be done in an improvised manner.
A first concern is the possible presence of non-native species – lobsters not naturally belonging to the Mediterranean ecosystem – whose introduction could disrupt already fragile environmental balances.
Experts also highlighted the risk of thermal shock and stress for animals that have spent a prolonged period in a controlled environment.
Lobsters from restaurant tanks may be unable to adapt quickly to the temperature, salinity and conditions of the open sea, and after time in captivity they may be more vulnerable to predators or incapable of finding food independently.
There are also legal implications. Operations involving the release or reintroduction of animals into nature are normally carried out by specialists, following health checks and careful environmental assessments.
Under Italian and European Union law, the unauthorised release of non-native or farmed species into the wild can constitute an environmental offence.
Whether any formal action will be taken in this instance has not been reported.
