Two million to one blue lobster caught off Auchmithie

Red Lichtie’s catch of the day off Auchmithie – at odds of two million to one

A Red Lichtie was in the pink after catching a blue lobster off the coast of Angus at odds of two million to one.

Tommy Yule from Arbroath caught the bright blue lobster roughly half-a-mile off Auchmithie before returning it to the sea.

The extremely rare lobster was picked up by the Lichtie Lass fishing boat which is owned by Tommy and his dad, also Tommy.

Only one in two million lobsters is blue, according to the Lobster Institute at the University of Maine, due to a copious amount of a protein from a genetic defect.

But amazingly, Tommy Jun said yesterday’s catch is one of a handful he’s seen in three years at sea.

He said: “It was just a small one so it was thrown straight back after a few pictures. It was roughly half-a-mile off Auchmithie that we caught it.

“I’ve been at sea for three years and I’ve only seen about three or four. They are extremely rare.”

Lobsters can also be found in other colours, including yellow, orange and brown split and tortoise shell.

The chances of finding a brown and orange lobster is one in 50 million, according to the institute.

Two fishermen in Dorset caught an albino, or “crystal” lobster in 2001 – the odds of this are one in 100 million.

The two Bridport fishermen who found the crustacean near Portland Bill handed it to Weymouth Sea Life Park.

Lobsters shed their hard shells as they outgrow them.

The blue lobster caught and later released by Arbroath fishermen Tommy Yule and his dad, also Tommy.