City primary schoolchildren attended a baby lobster release at the National Maritime Museum Cornwall (NMMC) to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the National Lobster Hatchery.

Divers from The National Lobster Hatchery travelled by boat on Wednesday, May 22 to the tidal zone at NMMC where children from Bosvigo School, Truro eagerly awaited the release of hundreds of baby lobsters.

The divers opened large aqua hive trays containing the stage four and five lobsters, who swam off and found hiding places in the seabed below – much to the delight of excited year one children separated from the action by an underwater, magnified window.

The event was part of an ambitious Releasathon, making 25 lobster releases in 25 locations over 25 consecutive days during May and June.

The National Lobster Hatchery raises and releases European lobsters at its Padstow premises. The European lobster is the UK’s most valuable commercial marine species, and protecting hatchlings in their early stages by rearing them out of the ocean can increase their chances of survival by up to 1,000 times.

Hatchery chief operating officer Nicola O’Donnell said: “When baby lobsters are born, they are extremely vulnerable to predators. We work with the fishing industry to ensure that this economically and environmentally valuable species is protected, nurturing youngsters at the hatchery to give them have a much-increased chance of survival.”

This is the second time young lobsters have been released at NMMC; in 2023, thousands were released across two dives.

“Our Tidal Zone was the perfect viewing point for excited Bosvigo students,” said NMMC Cross Arts Programming Officer Beth Nicholls. “I’m sure this experience – and hopefully some of the fun facts learned - will stay with them for a long time and reinforce that important connection with our precious ocean.”