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GB · Joined: 12 Feb 2007 Posts: 317 Location: Ireland

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.

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wayland · Joined: 14 Dec 2006 Posts: 1163 Location: Campile. Wexford

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

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blowin · Posted: Thu May 17, 2007 1:02 am Post subject:

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 · Posted: Thu May 17, 2007 2:04 am Post subject:

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 · Joined: 14 Dec 2006 Posts: 1163 Location: Campile. Wexford

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.
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GB · Joined: 12 Feb 2007 Posts: 317 Location: Ireland

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

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GB · Joined: 12 Feb 2007 Posts: 317 Location: Ireland

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.
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blowin · Posted: Thu May 17, 2007 8:22 pm Post subject:

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 · Joined: 12 Feb 2007 Posts: 317 Location: Ireland

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

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GB · Joined: 12 Feb 2007 Posts: 317 Location: Ireland

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.

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