The U.S.’ crustacean summer may be gone but the spiny lobster season in San Diego, south California has just begun with weekend giveaways.
In the October 12, 2025 weekend, Catalina Offshore company slashed a whopping 66.7% off its usual retail cost for the crustacean.
The company’s $11.99 a pound (lb) two-day sale fast depleted the stock before normal rates could return at $19.99/lb – reported CBS8.
Conversely, mainstream offers currently maximize at $31/lb across California and Florida whose rival 2025 spiny lobster season started August 6.
With the Catalina reserve ending in 48 hours, co-owner Brittany Strangman cited that they gave back “in the hands of locals.”
Fishers’ Price Falls + Less China Imports
Other locals, namely fishers across Catalina island and San Diego Bay, are not pleased but admit prices have been degrading historically anyway.
According to wholesaler Tomy Gomes, fishers were getting $7-$10.50 a pound in week 1, October 2025, unlike $24/pound years back.
Catalina Offshore on the other hand offered them opening rates of $9 to the pound the foregoing weekend.
The business also shipped 2,500 pounds of lobster to China the previous week to ease domestic surplus, thereby espousing domestic price stability.
China has lately helped lower spiny lobster prices in California, ironically via a 20% tariff, reducing exports and thus benefitting locals.
Before tariffs, China would command premium rates at $30/lb, which more or less also elevated prices within the Golden State.
With tariffs possibly hitting over 50% by October 31 if trade talks waiver, lobster companies expect to run on nil.
For example, Catalina’s maintenance overheads are $10 a pound, virtually all the profit from buying lobster at $9 and selling at $19.99.
Restaurants from the Bay Area through Southern California Bight are nevertheless hailing the start of the San Diego spiny lobster season. And as the statistics below show, the season’s landings have not wavered much in the decade ending 2025.
California/San Diego Spiny Lobster Statistics
California runs its spiny lobster (Panulirus interruptus) season from early October or late September through late March. To fish during the recreational season, fishers pay at least $12.14 (2024 rate) for a lobster card, a kind of license. Furthermore, fishing takes place in just four districts, namely 18,19, 20 and 20A located in the Southern California Bight. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 80% of landings come from between October and January. Between 2014 and 2024, harvest totals stabilized between roughly 76,000 and 114,000 lobster units.
Which area catches the most spiny lobster in CA?
Catalina island led the 2024-25 harvest with 15.6% of the state’s annual spiny lobster, per the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW). Following suit were San Diego Bay (10.8%) and Point Vicente-King Harbor (6.7%).
How many lobster units does California land in a decade?
Based on the number of cards that report their catches, the CDFW records the 2014-24 decade catch as follows:
| Season | Landings [total count] |
| 2024-25 | 99,293 |
| 2023-24 | 117,201 |
| 2022-23 | 92,795 |
| 2021-22 | 83,817 |
| 2020-21 | 108,188 |
| 2019-20 | 106,742 |
| 2018-19 | 98,127 |
| 2017-18 | 85,212 |
| 2016-17 | 84,065 |
| 2015-16 | 76,378 |
| 2014-15 | 114,562 |