I had a great opportunity to visit Kona Cold Lobsters with a friend who is a seasoned chef. Chef Paul and I took a quick tour of KCL, which is one of his local suppliers, located at the Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii Authority (NELHA) near the Kona Keahole Airport. NELHA’s unique location and its deep seawater resource have attracted numerous aquaculture companies, including Big Island Abalone, Royal Hawaiian Seafarms, Kona Blue Water Farms and Troutlodge Marine Farms.

Kona Cold’s marine lobsters are fished using traps in the North Atlantic ocean off the coasts of Canada and the USA and carefully inspected. As each lobster is removed from the trap, the length is gauged and the tail is inspected for eggs. Small and extra large lobsters as well as egg bearing females are returned to the sea. This eco-friendly capture methodology has assured sustainability for an 80 million pound annual fishery. The selected, U.S., live lobsters are air shipped packed in dry, gel refrigerant for a 36 hour, out of water, flight to Kona’s Keahole Airport. After arrival, the lobsters are rejuvenated in cold, 43 degree F, pathogen free, seawater which was pumped from 2000 feet below sea level through the NELHA, 40” diameter, pipeline and supplied to Kona Cold Lobsters.

KCL has expanded its live product line to more fully utilize the NELHA cold water resource, adding Dungeness crabs, Manila clams, PEI mussels, Pacific oysters and Japanese abalone. KCL also offers three local finfish: kampachi, moi and butterfish. These fish are harvested from nearby ponds located at NELHA and open ocean cages.

Kona Cold Lobsters is open to walk in traffic as well as servicing many fine dining restaurants around the Pacific. Visit their website for business hours and more information including a complete list of their offerings: konacoldlobsters.com

History of Kona Cold Lobsters from their website:

In 1987 KCL relocated to Kona to research the feasibility of aquaculturing Maine lobsters. KCL successfully closed the life cycle in captivity. However, the accelerated grow out period from egg to market size would not yield the cost efficiencies necessary to compete with the wild fishery. Picture lobster feedlots . . . not so fast my friend.

KCL converted its extensive holding facility from an aquaculture orientation to a live seafood distributor. Using its husbandry expertise and nutritional experience, KCL provides a unique quality environment for live lobsters. The KCL system insures the firmest flesh and finest tasting lobsters west of the Atlantic seaboard.

KCL’s customers include resorts, supermarkets, fine dining restaurants and independent gourmet chefs. These customers, located on the Big Island and the outer island of Maui, Oahu, Lanai and Kauai are supplied daily.

If a livelier or fresher product is what you desire, you’ll just have to catch it yourself.

Written by Rick Oliver on July 26, 2017
Posted in: Hawaii Life | Tags: Kona Cold Lobsters