§ 77G — Use of dead lobsters for food purposes

Section 77G. Whoever cooks, buys, sells, offers or exposes for sale, gives away, or knowingly delivers, transports, ships, or receives for food purposes any lobster, or similar species of crustacea, or any part thereof, which is uncooked and dead, or which was cooked after it was dead, shall be punished by a fine of not less than $250 nor more than $500, or by imprisonment for not less than 10 nor more than 60 days, or both; provided, however, that it shall not be a violation of this section to cook, buy, sell, offer or expose for sale, give away or knowingly deliver, transport, ship or receive any lobster or part thereof processed for food by a person who has been licensed or certified under this section, as hereinafter provided.The department of public health may license any person to process within the commonwealth lobsters in the shell of legal length for food by a method approved by it. The department shall from time to time adopt rules and regulations governing the processing of such lobsters and the sanitary conditions required for the establishment of a person licensed under this section.Each container of lobsters processed by a method as herein provided shall bear a plainly marked label, which shall include the license number or name of the packer, and the date of the processing of said lobsters.