florida spiny lobster

[dubbwool]

I know I'm kinda new to this new era diveing thing but seems to me that we could learn from our neighbors in the Bahamas and just make it illegal to harvest fish, lobster or any thing else with the use of Scuba gear . In my younger years we had no trouble getting a meal "free" diving. The use of SCuba probably over taxes the resource by both commercial and recreational usere

You have a good point, there are places in florida like from the miami area south to key west you can still do that, as a matter of fact I prefer freediving while spearfishing and I have a lot of friends that prefer to lobster that way. But it's obvious you have never dove on the west coast or in the pan handle. On the west coast we would have to free dive in 40 to 80 ft of water and in the panhandle I think they would be diving in 80 to 120 ft. I don't know many young men that can do that and no old men. So lets not put us old guys out to pasture just because we can't free dive over 35ft. I choose to lobster with tanks so that I can dive in the deeper channels and holes and leave the shallow water to the young and mature gays and gals that enjoy it.
If we really want to protect all these places let's all throw away our GPS and DEPTH FINDERS.

 

[Loneranger]

I think the real question is why is the resource becoming depleted. I have always said 90% of the catch is caught by 10% of the population. Is it the weekend warrior who makes his annual trek to the keys to catch 12 lobsters (two day total) responsible for depleting the resource. If you get rid of mini season more lobsters will end up in commercial bags and traps but what does that do for the resource? It is just sad to see the use of Florida waters be controlled by the commercial interest.

 

[wreckchick]

I have no problem with restricting commercial harvesting to trapping.

R

 

[dubbwool]

APPOLOGY TO HONEST COMMERCIAL LOBSTER DIVERS 1:23 PM 2/8/2006


mY APOLOGY TO ALL lAW ABIDING COMMERCIAL DIVERS FOR MY ATTACK ON YOUR LIVELY HOOD. I know their are a lot of you still out their. I have been passing by you in your small boats and hooka rigs for the past 28 years on my way to and from my favorite dive sites! We have coexisted for a long time now.
But you know as well as I do thest illegal structures locally known as CASITAS are effecting you and the trappers as much or more then the recreational divers. I am sure that is why your representives on the SPINY LOBSTER ADVISORY are asking for special permits to dive illegal structures. You obviously realize you are going to have to make a living some other way or become OUTLAWS too.
If you can suggest some other way to stop the placement of enviromentally damaging CASITAS I will fight just as hard to support you.
Again I sincerly appologize I should written this letter first. See my orignal post in the conservation forums.


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LEAD, FOLLOW, or GET OUT of THE WAY

 

[dubbwool]

I have no problem with restricting commercial harvesting to trapping.

R

Thanks, I was begining to think you might be the wife or girl frend of one of the outlaw divers.

 

[dubbwool]

I think the real question is why is the resource becoming depleted. I have always said 90% of the catch is caught by 10% of the population. Is it the weekend warrior who makes his annual trek to the keys to catch 12 lobsters (two day total) responsible for depleting the resource. If you get rid of mini season more lobsters will end up in commercial bags and traps but what does that do for the resource? It is just sad to see the use of Florida waters be controlled by the commercial interest.

Good point. If the FWC removed the structure diving law and restored the 24 per vessel limit we would have to park ten boats over only one casita and we still would leave enough crawfish so that the next boat that found it would think it had not been worked. At that the commercial take would still be over 75% of the annual harvest.

 

[Loneranger]

I ended up selling my boat when the 24 per vessel limit was eliminated. Eventhough I don't make a living fishing it still must be worth my time and money to put fuel in the boat and maintain it. Now I am the cattle boat kid and let someone else clean the boat.

 

[wreckchick]

As far as I know, the limit is 6 per person or 24 per boat, whichever is less. I'm not sure I see the issue for recreational lobstering with this one.

Rachel

 

[dubbwool]

I would reather clean my boat and dive gear while the crew cleans the fish and lobster.To own a boat you realy need to enjoy working on it. I spend more time in my boat while it's on dry land then when its in the water.

 

[dubbwool]

They took away the 24per boat rule 2 years ago. It's only 24per person per day know for the honest folks that don't double dip.