lobster pot

GB · lobster pot

can I use a lobster pot if I am not a lobster fisherman (or woman Wink

) I found a great one on the beach and would like to use it for its original purpos but not if it gets me into trouble.

wayland

I would like to know this as well. I am sure that the quota system only applies to commercial fishermen/women. In the UK this was govened by the number of pots being used. HFW has opperated one pot on the TV fore some time. Blowin is yer man me thinks. Wink

blowin

Yes , a very good question but I'm afraid I don't know either . Like you I found a couple of pots and was thinking of dropping them on the way out for a day's fishing . To be honest my concern was not so much what the regulations say , but how the local fishermen would react . I think it would be important to put the word out before you started , so they didn't think you were raiding their own traps . I will try to get both answers asap . I know a man who is dying to get his boat into the water and I am hoping for an invite
Wink

blowin

Well I wouldn't bother googling ! I have just spent a couple of hours searching various permutations of " crab , lobster , fishing , pots , regulations " , and have checked out the Fisheries Board site but all I have come up with is this . It relates specifically to lobster . There is even less said about brown ( edible ) crab :-
There is a table down on page 30 of this document which compares conservation initiatives in various countries . Ireland has a "yes" against min size limits and protection of "v" notched specimens but nothing against "regulations" , which implies that there weren't any at that time . That was 1994 .
http://historical-debates.oireach...e/S/0140/S.0140.199407060007.html

Incidentally , what is the difference between crab and lobster pots ?
The round one with one hole in the top is which ?
And the arched ones with "ramps / funnels " going in from the side ?

wayland

The Round ones with a hole in the top is a crab pot and the long pots with holes in the ends are for lobsters although, it is possible to catch crabs in both types. I agree with Blowin about taking other fishermans/womans traditional hunting grounds. If I were unable to contact the locals and have a word down the pub. I would put my pot well away from any others. While beach casting the other day I had a visit by the local fisheries board. Checking that I had not taken Bass out of season. These blokes/esses may be able to give advice, or at least point you in the right direction.

GB

I was talking to the fisheries about traps but it was last year so I dont remember clearly. I will try to hunt out the e mail later. And as the trap is round with a funnel on top its a crab pot I found. Thats cool. They look SOOOOO different to where I come from Shocked

GB

Not a trace of the e mail but as I remember it said that i could use any trap except a lobster pot, but that I was not allowed to sell anything I caught. But as I said, I dont remember it clearly.

blowin

That sounds consistent with the little I have been able to find out .
There was mention of a minimum size for the crabs but that was only a proposal in the document I read . I think it was about 6" across the carapace ( back ) .
I have seen no mention of the common practice of keeping only the claws and throwing the rest back . I know they can regenerate legs but I can't believe that many survive the loss of both pincers since they use them to feed themselves .
As an aside , watch out if you take a powered boat anywhere near anyone elses' pots . The header rope which will be floating just at or below the surface at the end of the line can be anything up to 30 ft long . It is not funny if it gets wrapped around your prop , particularly in a heavy swell !
Good luck . Leave some for me Wink

PS : what is so different -- the crabs or the pots ?

GB

Both, I will try to hunt up some photos of each after the baby stops screaming Rolling Eyes

GB

http://www.fisheries.vims.edu/femap/fish%20pages/Blue%20Crab.htm

and

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/huntwild/wild/species/bluecrab/

Its not a great picture of a trap but its the only one I could find.

wayland

Looks like a smaller version to those that are used in the series, "The Deadliest Catch".

GB

similar, but with a top chamber and a botom chamber and with funnels instead of ramps

wayland

So how are you going to deploy your pot? Keep us posted. Are you going to try Hughs idea with the tractor inner tube? Confused

GB

I was GOING Rolling Eyes

to get hubby to deploy it from his windsurf but he has pithily informed me that hell will freeze before he even gets in the car with it on the roof never mind takeing it out for me but he has compromised by saying he will get me a folding multy trap and I can wade out with it. Its really just something for the kids (the offical reason) to enjoy at the beach so deep placement isnt really necessary. So I dont really know what I am going to do with the crab pot but for now it makes a dandy hoop for the kids to throw a ball into Laughing