NATHAN NICKERSON III almost couldn’t believe his eyes when he saw an unexpected pop of color in his seafood shipment earlier this week.

It was one of many lobsters ordered by his restaurant, Arnold’s Lobster and Clam Bar, in Eastham, Massachusetts — except this one was blue.

“I said, ‘I think we have something special here.’ I couldn’t believe the color,” Nickerson said. “Everyone was circling around it, just wondering, ‘How did this happen?’”

The restaurant owner said he plans to keep it on display at the restaurant for about another week until he donates it to an aquarium. By allowing visitors to see the lobster, he hopes to inspire the younger generation’s appreciation for marine life.

“I want the children to see ... (and) be interested in marine life and this is one way to get them excited about it,” Nickerson said. “Maybe one can become the next marine biologist.”

Nickerson hopes to donate it to the aquarium opening later this year in St. Louis.

“I’d like to give the blue lobster to the St. Louis aquarium out of respect to the St. Louis Blues, who won the championship, to show that Bruins fans have class,” Nickerson said.

Though many people have urged him to release the lobster back into the wild, Nickerson said he doesn’t think that’s feasible because the waters surrounding Cape Cod have a sandy bottom, which would probably make it hard for a lobster to survive.

(SD-Agencies)