Canadians are trying to convince a seafood market in Shediac to free a 100-year-old lobster caught early this month in the Bay of Fundy.

The 22-pound male crustacean, christened Big Dee Dee, is on display at the Big Fish market.

Dennis Breau, store owner and caretaker of the lobster, said that Big Dee Dee will be auctioned off in the next few weeks. As of Friday, the highest bid was at $3,500 by a woman from Ontario who wants to free the lobster.

"Liberating him is probably the right thing to do, but we'll see," Canwest News Bureau quotes Breau as saying.

An online campaign was launched to save Big Dee Dee from the hot pot with the Vancouver Humane Society and animal rights group PETA leading the petitions.

Some 1,000 tourists daily have visited Breau's store to see the giant lobster. "About half say they want to throw a big party and eat him, the other half want to liberate him," Breau told the AFP.

Fisheries officials said that lobster has to be examined for diseases. A permit should be issued before the lobster can released to the sea.