It was supposed to be a simple holiday lunch, but it turned into one of the most discussed episodes of the last few days on social media. Two American tourists, mother and daughter who arrived from Texas, decided to buy all the lobsters in the aquarium of the Mercato Pompeiano restaurant in Pompeii, and then transport them to the sea and release them.
According to what the owners of the restaurant said, the two women stopped to observe the shellfish for a long time in the tank next to the table. From there the decision was born to buy them all to save them from what they considered an inevitable fate: ending up in the kitchen. The scene immediately attracted the attention of customers and restaurant staff. The daughter even used the net used by the waiters to remove the animals one by one from the aquarium, then placing them in containers suitable for transport.
The journey to the sea and the video that went viral
After purchasing the lobsters, the two tourists were accompanied by taxi to the beach of Castellammare di Stabia. Here they put about ten specimens back into the water, filming everything with their cell phones to preserve the memory of the experience. The images show the crustaceans being released into the sea one after another.
According to the story of the two women, the gesture represented a sort of “last chance“for the animals.”Even if they only live a few more days, it’s still worth it to us“, her daughter would have explained after the release. Within a few hours the video started circulating online, gathering thousands of comments and contrasting reactions. Many users defined the gesture as moving and symbolic, praising the sensitivity of the two tourists towards animal welfare. Others, however, raised much more concrete doubts.
The criticisms of the experts and the risks for the ecosystem
What generated discussion was not so much the intention of the two women, but the way in which the operation would be carried out. Several users, marine biology enthusiasts and science communicators, have highlighted that the release of animals bred or kept in captivity cannot be improvised. The first problem concerns the possible presence of non-native species, i.e. not naturally belonging to the Mediterranean ecosystem. In similar cases, the introduction of alien species can alter already fragile environmental balances.
Others have highlighted the risk of heat shock and stress for animals left in controlled environments for long periods of time. Lobsters from restaurant aquariums may not be able to quickly adapt to the temperature, salinity and conditions of the open ocean. Furthermore, after years spent in captivity, they may be more vulnerable to predators or unable to obtain food on their own.
A broader theme also emerged in the debate: that of the growing attention towards the suffering of crustaceans. In recent years, several scientific studies have strengthened the hypothesis that these animals can experience forms of conscious pain, which is why in many countries there is discussion of limiting practices such as boiling alive. However, the fact remains that release or reintroduction operations into nature are normally carried out by specialists, after health checks and precise environmental assessments. And this is precisely the point that is dividing the web: although it was a gesture of empathy, it was an emotional action carried out without really knowing the possible consequences.
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