The former U.K. game show host said he felt “uncomfortable” seeing the lobsters in a tank
Credit: Noel Edmonds/Instagram
NEED TO KNOW
- Noel Edmonds and his wife released lobsters from a farm shop tank into the water at Peel Harbour at the Isle of Man
- Experts raised concerns about releasing captive lobsters into the wild due to potential risks to local marine ecosystems
- The farm shop owner said the lobsters were caught locally and that he’s now considering relocating or removing the tank
Noel Edmonds and his wife took marine conservation into their own hands.
The former host of the U.K.’s Deal or No Deal, 77, and his wife, Liz Davies, purchased lobsters from a farm shop on the Isle of Man and released them into the water at Peel Harbour, documenting the moment in a video shared to Instagram on Monday, July 27.
“All right, this is one of those bizarre things that happens with us,” Edmonds said in the clip. “We were at a place where there were some lobsters in a tank, and we’re a little bit uncomfortable about the lobsters in tanks, so we bought the lobsters, and now Liz is going to release them. So here we go.”
Credit: Noel Edmonds/Instagram
In the footage of the incident, Davies carries the lobsters, one in each hand, and drops them into the water. Edmonds adds in the clip, “We know this is nice fresh water because a moment ago a seal went past.” He then asks Davies if she was happy with their decision, to which she responds, “Yeah, I am,” while staring at the water.
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While many of the couple’s fans on social media supported their decision, not all of Edmonds’ 146,000 followers were convinced by the gesture. “The seals are waiting to pounce,” one wrote, while another joked that the lobsters would likely just be caught again. A third added, “Lovely sentiment, but from a marine biologist perspective it’s best not to release captive lobsters.”
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Dr. Magnus Johnson, a lecturer in environmental marine science at the University of Hull, said the biggest risk comes when non-U.K. lobsters are released into U.K. waters. “If they become established in U.K. waters and their parasites and diseases spread, it could be a disaster for our local industry,” he told The Independent.
The lobsters Edmonds and Davies freed were caught near Peel by a local shellfish fisherman, according to farm shop owner Matt Harrison, who said the incident has him rethinking the lobster tank’s future.
“I’m sensitive to people’s feelings,” Harrison told Manx Radio. “But the vast majority of people want us to keep it and for us to keep supporting small businesses, which is the whole point of the shop.”
“I’m still mulling over whether to keep [the tank],” he continued. “There are still lobsters in there; they’re really healthy. We’re just going to see what happens.”
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