Fearless diver gives 8-lb lobster the finger...

[drbill]

The spiny lobsters (a congener of the one there if I remember correctly) here chew on things like mussels and other hard shelled critters.

My big question- why do they have lobster in season while they are carrying eggs? I gather you can only take males or females without eggs. Still it doesn't seem to make much sense unless they "berry" several times a year.

 

[Scuba]

The spiny lobsters (a congener of the one there if I remember correctly) here chew on things like mussels and other hard shelled critters.

My big question- why do they have lobster in season while they are carrying eggs? I gather you can only take males or females without eggs. Still it doesn't seem to make much sense unless they "berry" several times a year.

Although females will be found with eggs during the hunting season in California, their primary breeding season occurs before that. There is no regulation against taking females with eggs in Cal.

 

[kjpwong]

how many types of bugs/ lobsters are there? are they all edible? how do u tell if thye are not?
how do you kill them? turn it on its back and stab it in the belly?
thanks in advance

 

[rakkis]

Although females will be found with eggs during the hunting season in California, their primary breeding season occurs before that. There is no regulation against taking females with eggs in Cal.

Not so. Can't take plastered females.

 

[Scuba]

Not so. Can't take plastered females.

Not so? Where does the Ca. DFG regulations state that?

 

[Li'l38]

Not so? Where does the Ca. DFG regulations state that?

I don't know California regulations, or the density of the lobster population (or lack of it) there. IMHO- It's just good practice to leave the egg bearing females alone. "Seed for next year's harvest." It's why there is a limited doe season for deer, etc., etc. I should have checked on some other info before posting here, but I'm guessing there are other creatures that rely on those eggs (or the newly hatched young) for food too. It's all part of the miracle of nature and the food chain. Even if the population were high, imagine if everyone dove in right now and took a lobster full of eggs...........No doubt there would be a remarkable drop in the count next year. Entities such as wildlife or game and fish commissions track these populations over the years and set regulations accordingly. I dunno, maybe Ca. DFG (dept. of fish n game?) thinks there is overabundance right now. Is there a size limit? or bag limit? In FL, you have to measure them before you bring them out of the water. Gotta leave the small ones alone too. And you can't take more than 6 per diver, per day (IIRC) If you've been lobstering recently, would you say there's plenty enough to take what you want? I can't imagine............

 

[Scuba]

Lil 38,

You raise a different issue. A very important one, too. Here, aside from a limited open season, we have minimum size restrictions and a daily take and possession limit. Ultimately, we are dealing with a complex ecosystem who'se functioning is currently little understood. The DFG monitors its health to a great degree based on the sustainability of the yearly commercial catch. But this is a lagging indicator, crude yet somewhat effective. The point of equilibrium for a particular species is unknown or its affect on other species that may not even be monitored. By the time a decline is registered it may well be passed this point resulting in a population crash. It happened here with abalone. So, yes, we do not need to limit ourselves to regulatory imposed legal restrictions. This is were there will be a difference of opinion.