The California spiny lobster (Panulirus interruptus) is a common species found in the coastal waters of southern California. Highly prized by recreational and sport fishers alike, this lobster is harvested by recreational SCUBA divers (using only their hands) in southern California, usually from early fall to late spring (see regulations).
The range of this species is from Bahia Magdalena, Baja California, Mexico up to central California. Until recently, only the larvae of the lobster made it north of Point Conception near Santa Barbara. These larvae were caught in scientific trawls occurring just off the coast of central California, and usually during warm-water years, such as an El Niño event.
The recent run of frequent and long-lasting marine heatwaves from 2014 through 2019 has been due to a variety of factors, including the warm-water “Blob” of 2014-15, the El Niño of 2015-16, and the apparent reappearance of the warm-water “Blob” of late 2019. During marine heatwaves the ocean temperature rises, but there are also changes in the strength, duration, and patterns of oceanic circulation. These changes in the currents can lead to interesting species being transported to new locations.
Many warm-temperate and sub-tropical species began to appear along the coasts of central and northern California during the recent spate of marine heatwaves, including spiny lobster. What was really different in the past few years is that these lobster larvae not only made it further north, but they were also able to settle and survive, likely due to the sustained elevation of water temperature. Instead of just larvae being caught in nets, juveniles and adults were being seen by divers.
Observers of nature can post sightings of species on iNaturalist, a “crowdsourced species identification system and an organism occurrence recording tool.” The vast majority of observations for spiny lobster are, obviously, in southern California. But more observations are being made in central California. While many of these are of a lobster molt or carapace (i.e. a dead “shell” or skeleton), one photo taken in October 2018 was of a live lobster in Carmel Bay.
And now, in May 2019, divers in Pacific Grove caught a California spiny lobster on video. Keith Rootsaert, an avid diver and volunteer for Reef Check CA, was working on an experimental project (see G2kr.com) when he came across a live lobster at 38 fsw. Check out the video here.