Blue lobsters are rare due to a genetic defect that causes the lobster to make excessive amounts of the protein that creates the color. The interaction between a protein and the red pigment astaxanthin accounts for the colors. The normal coloration of Homarus americanus is bluish green to brown with red spines due to a mixture of yellow, blue, and red pigments that occur naturally in the shell. On rare occasions, these colors are distorted due to genetic mutations or conditions creating a spectacle for those who catch them. There is approximately a one in 2 million chance of finding a blue lobster. Cooking turns colored lobsters red because the proteins that twisted the pigment astaxanthin around to produce yellow and blue hues can't handle the heat and fall apart.
So, does a blue one have his life spared, or is he cooked just like any other lobster caught? 🙂