A woman impulsively removes a live lobster from a high-end fish restaurant and releases it into a harbor in a shocking video. The woman believed she was setting the sea creature free from being served as a meal, unaware that it was a pet lobster used for educational purposes for schoolchildren visiting the establishment.
The incident, captured on video, shows Emma Smart, 47, nonchalantly entering the Catch at the Old Fish Market in Weymouth, Dorset. She then heads to a fish tank inside the restaurant where the pet lobster was housed.
Smart, wearing a colorful jumper, is seen extracting the lobster from the tank while being confronted by restaurant staff. Despite their efforts to intervene, Smart proceeds to drop the lobster into the harbor.
The lobster, owned by the restaurant’s proprietor for over two years and intended for educational use only, was not intended for consumption. The lobster’s fate remains unknown following the incident.
Following her actions, Smart, a marine biologist with a deep concern for animal welfare, pleaded guilty to causing criminal damage to the lobster. She received a conditional discharge for eight months and a three-year ban from approaching the restaurant or its staff.
The Catch at the Old Fish Market, a Michelin Guide restaurant frequented by notable figures like Sir David Attenborough, was the scene of the incident. Smart, previously involved in a similar altercation at the same restaurant, now resides in West Wales.
Judge Susan Evans criticized Smart’s actions, emphasizing that the lobster was not meant for consumption but for educational purposes. Smart’s impulsive behavior was deemed misguided, and the lobster’s well-being post-release remains uncertain.
