The Lobster Man--Chang Shou-huang

Amidst the gurgling sound of water, "Lobster World Australia" boss Chang Shou-huang and some employees are sticking giant lobsters from southern Australia into styrofoam boxes. Although these lobsters have been exposed to low temperatures, and are in a state approximating hibernation, their vitality is very evident. Chang must constantly push their wiggling an-tennules back in the boxes, and seal them with tape.

Meanwhile, Chyan Peir-ing, Chang's wife, is carefully weighing each boxed lobster on a scale and recording the results to calculate the total shipment. Only then are they placed into the small truck waiting at the plant entrance. This group of lobsters will soon find itself on board a Cathay Pacific aircraft, and this very night they will arrive in Hong Kong to be served at restaurant tables packed with customers.

Lobsters star on eventful days

Chang and his wife are always popular guests in overseas Chinese social circles in Sydney, because when they show up for a banquet they always bring along a giant lobster and king crab to add further luster to the host's table.

These live lobsters come from the seas around King Island and Kangaroo Island south of Australia. The lobster from these parts is recognized as first-rate sashimi. The meat is sweet and firm, and is pollution-free.

In fact, after refrigeration treatment, it is no problem for these lobsters to travel up to 48 hours from home. Given that it only takes 36 hours to go from Sydney to Rome, you could say that already there is no destination too far for these exports. However, due to proximity, Lobster World Australia mainly exports to Taiwan, Hong Kong, and mainland China.

Chinese have a special mindset about lobster: If there is a lobster on the table, then the host must be very hospitable, and everybody gains tremendous "face." Thus it is an essential part of banquets given at major events like weddings or births. Every year from November until the following May-peak banqueting season for Chinese in the northern hemisphere-lobster is in great demand. Each week in this period Lobster World Australia makes five to six shipments. Even in June to October, off-peak season, there are still two or three shipments a week.

The Changs took this enviable business over from a Malaysian. When they first had immigrated, they had not yet decided what to do for a living. Because they had a friend in Taiwan who did import-export work, they looked at every possibility-including dog-breeding, dog food, chocolate candy, and, of course, lobsters.

"At that time we inquired at a lot of lobster exporters, but nobody paid any attention to us. The only response we got was from this Malaysian." Chang told him that there was a market to be tapped in Taiwan, and Chang would act as his agent. Working together, the two gradually became friends. One day the Malaysian man told Chang that he was financially strapped, and probably wouldn't be able to hold on. He offered to sell Chang the business.

However, at that time the Changs didn't dare take over management. Though Chang, a veterinarian by trade, had once been on a technical team doing a survey of fish disease in the aquaculture ponds of Pingtung in Taiwan, "that was just common-sense stuff, not really expertise." Chang originally wanted to become partners with the Malaysian, with each holding half the stock. But the latter was truly dead broke, and was only willing to stay on as manager at a fixed salary.

"Our lawyer did not approve of this arrangement, because, after all, there must have been some reason why the company failed when he was the owner," relates Chyan Peir-ing. "But we believed that he had experience, so we decided to hire him."

Water, the fount of lobsters

Unfortunately, as feared, problems arose. Lobsters were dying one after another, or, when pulled out of the water, were missing limbs. Some were dead, others ill. "That was really scary. The lobsters were all dying, and our money had just been dumped into the water."

The only thing to do was ask the manager to leave, and to muddle through on their own, learning as they went.

When the plant had first been built, the Malay boss had used first-class equipment. The tank, bought at enormous expense, is made of fiberglass, and passes the requirements of the Australian government for direct export. Since taking over, Chang has continually improved the facilities. Now the lobsters are raised in a large net in the tank; previously the lobsters were removed from the tank one by one, so they were more likely to be injured.

When they import lobsters, the Changs examine them one at a time. They remove the sick or weak ones, so that they do not infect or get eaten by the others. When they export, Chang has to be on the scene. "That's the only way to insure quality and profits."

In addition, water quality is very important. The acidity, temperature, and oxygen content must all be carefully controlled. At first, Chang used testing chemicals imported from France. But now he relies on his own eyes and hands, because experience is more reliable.

"It was only later that I realized the shellfish tank is the heart of the aquaculture operation." Chang explains that lobster excrement contains nitrogenous waste; unless organically treated, it becomes toxic. He found that he could raise bacteria in the pond to organically break the material down, and produce plankton to boot. "The lobsters can live much more happily this way."

But why would someone buy lobsters just to raise them and then export them again? Can't you just get full-grown lobsters from the coast of south Australia and export those?

Responds Chang: "Of course it's possible. But then you would have to move the whole family down to south Australia, and give up the material and cultural life of Sydney, as well as the kids' education. And that would obviate the whole point of immigrating in the first place."

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Chang Shou-huang and his wife Chyan Peir-ing ship their live lobsters to dinner tables in Taiwan and Hong Kong. (photo by Hsueh Chi-kuang)