‘Desert lobster’ grower loses appeal

Tuesday, Aug. 26, 2003 | 10:18 a.m.

SUN CAPITAL BUREAU

CARSON CITY -- Bob Eddy, whose "desert lobster" farm near the tiny community of Mina was closed last month by the state, has lost an appeal to the Nevada Supreme Court.

Eddy and Anthony J. Bator filed suit in Mineral County challenging the authority of the state Division of Wildlife to regulate their possession and sale of live Australian freshwater crayfish. District Judge Robert Lane granted the state's motion to change the venue to Washoe County.

Eddy and Bator appealed the change of location to the Nevada Supreme Court.

But in the interim, a district court in Washoe County ruled that Eddy and Bator were operating in violation of Nevada's wildlife laws, which were judged to be constitutional.

Eddy and Bator did not appeal from the Washoe County ruling.

The Supreme Court dismissed the appeal for a change of venue, saying the issue had already been decided in Washoe District Court.

For six years, Eddy's farm three miles south of Mina raised the crayfish in ponds, whose water came from hot springs. The crayfish increase in size to that of a small lobster and they taste like lobster.

Restaurants were among the farm's customers.

Officials at the wildlife division maintained this was a violation of the law because they said if a live crayfish got into Nevada waters it could endanger native fish population.

Eddy could not be reached for comment Monday.