Darden To Build $650 Million Lobster Farm

Lobsterfest may never have to end, if Darden has its way. The Red Lobster parent is reported to be signing a deal Monday to open an "Integrated Lobster Aquaculture Park" in Sabah, the easternmost state of Malaysia.

Googling "Integrated Lobster Aquaculture Park" won't help, as whatever it is, this will be the first.

According to Asia One News, the $650 million lobster farm will cover 9,300 hectares (93 square kilometers) and have space for tropical lobster production, research and development, mussel production for feed, and a training and demonstration farm, which would be brilliant if it meant that Shamu would soon be replaced by a bunch of flying lobsters, but it probably doesn't.

"This project includes hatching, production, feeding, and processing, and it will be part of a 15,000-hectare area to be gazetted as a Lobster Aquaculture Zone, regulated by the Sabah Fisheries Department," said chief minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman.

According to Asia One, Darden Aquafarm Inc. president Bill Herzig said the company chose Sabah for the project because of the area's government policies and natural suitability for the industry.