I see why lobsterman hate divers...

[Spectre]

I didnt know that you couldnt salvage pots that where lost by other lobster men. You learn something new every day.

We're often diving down to free tangled traps from the wreck we fish off of; mostly it's when we screw up and put one of the longer lined traps too close to the wreckage and the tidal shifts wrap the line around wreckage; or other times we'll drop them right next to the wreck on friday afternoon since we know they'll be a hell of a lot more productive and we can dive down and get them on sunday.

A lot of times we'll pull others off the wreck that have been fouled. We'll just unfoul them and move them away from the wreck. other times when we find one that's been cut away, we'll haul it up, find one of his others and tie it to it with a note saying that we did it and give us a call if they need our help. I assume if they had a problem with us breaking the law by messing with their traps, they would have called us as well. But of course we haven't [although we have gotten a couple thank you calls].

Now salvaging a trap for your own, rather than trying to return it to it's rightful owner.... well, that's the intent of the law; and there it's a little sketchy. We'll go diving for lost traps a couple times a year; sometimes a line gets wrapped around another and people aren't as nice as we are... and cut our trap away and toss our line. other times the line might catch a prop and get cut away. We lose 2 or 3 a season out of the 20. This year we actually found a lost one... buoy and line still attached, about 300 yards off the wreck. We suspect it had gotten fouled at low tide, we couldn't find it because the buoy was under the water, and it eventually freed itself over winter. whatever, that was kinda cool

But yea, we know people have probably grabbed traps that we've lost before we've gotten in to find them; but that's the nature of the game, I doubt I'd press charges if it was just an innocent salvage. Now if someone cut our lines to take our traps... that's one hell of a different story....

... as is the whole point of this thread... cutting our zip ties to break into our traps.

And like I said in the story [I think, I've not re-read it since I made the whole thing up a few years back], I was happy I didn't confront him underwater when I saw the spear gun when he came out. Given the wreck is in 20 ft of water [I think I squirmed around underneath some steel wreckage and hit 22 ft once], I don't think cutting his hoses woulda done much

 

[LordMicon]

I have a quick thought on that law post. (I'm always one whos "up" for a good debate). As an aside, I'm a diver, not a lobsterman, but I don't catch either, so trying to be objective.

In any case, the law you quoted, if I wanted to be really ... obsessive about interpreting (and we KNOW thats basically what lawyers are about! ) seems to me to state rules that apply to 'owned' traps. Yes, even traps that have been washed up to shore, but still 'owned'. I could easily see the point being made for a ghost trap being by definition, a trap that has been either intentionally or unintentionally abandoned by the owner, who thereby would be relinquishing rights under ownership.

Now, given that, its up to a person with half a brain to decide what was abandoned and what wasn't. A fresh trap, with bait and all, well, its pretty dang obvious the diver knew he was poaching. An old rusted mess thats mangled, no lines, no visable permit number, no anything might be another matter.

Again, not debating the morality or even legality of the issue, just pointing out that the law you quoted could still be interpreted by those of a legal bent as not applying to a ghost trap.

 

[Spectre]

Again, not debating the morality or even legality of the issue, just pointing out that the law you quoted could still be interpreted by those of a legal bent as not applying to a ghost trap.

Try debating "abandoned" with the Navy. You'll probably make more progress then with a pissed off lobsterman

 

[ScubaSarus]

I am getting a good education from this discussion. I've learned a lot that I did not know. Glad it was posted. The word needs to be spread to other divers who do not know the lobster claws.

 

[Spectre]

Now, given that, its up to a person with half a brain to decide what was abandoned and what wasn't. A fresh trap, with bait and all, well, its pretty dang obvious the diver knew he was poaching. An old rusted mess thats mangled, no lines, no visable permit number, no anything might be another matter.

In the kitchen area of a lobster trap, there are escape vents; that are sized in such a way to allow for undersized lobsters to get through. They are actually big holes in the trap with plastic inserts with a smaller hole. Those plastic inserts are held in place, by law, with crimps that are designed to rust away. annual maintenance on a trap should be to replace those crimps; as they are designed to rust away [and thus "opening" the trap] in a year's time. A lot of the time they'll make it a couple years before actually going.

If I was going to contemplate what defines an abandoned trap; that would be my first step.... if the rust-aways have rusted away yet.

 

[yak]

In the kitchen area of a lobster trap, there are escape vents; that are sized in such a way to allow for undersized lobsters to get through. They are actually big holes in the trap with plastic inserts with a smaller hole. Those plastic inserts are held in place, by law, with crimps that are designed to rust away. annual maintenance on a trap should be to replace those crimps; as they are designed to rust away [and thus "opening" the trap] in a year's time. A lot of the time they'll make it a couple years before actually going.

If I was going to contemplate what defines an abandoned trap; that would be my first step.... if the rust-aways have rusted away yet.

Jeff,

Just out of curiosity, how would a lobster survive in a trap for a year? What would they feed on?

 

[warpig]

i dont think they're supposed to save the lobsters that were caught in it initially; but rather prevent the trap from becoming a permanent death trap for lobster (or anything else) for the next 100 years.

Jeff,

Just out of curiosity, how would a lobster survive in a trap for a year? What would they feed on?

 

[Spectre]

Just out of curiosity, how would a lobster survive in a trap for a year? What would they feed on?

Check the UNH reference in one of my above posts, or one of the other posts I've put in on the subject over the years in this forum.

They'd survive by hanging out and eating the food that comes in; or leaving to another shelter when they feel like it.

 

[Scuba_Dave]

I've been diving 6 years & have never raided a trap, nor would I.
To me the fun of diving is in the hunt.
With lousy vis I sometimes don't even know a set of traps are near me.
I usually do look, to know if there might be some in the area.
I have freed a bouy that was stuck in the rocks, and have also freed ropes that are wrapped around rocks.
And helped boats reclaim/free their anchor when stuck

I can't stand people who would rob from someone else. Especially a lobsterman who is working traps to support his family.

I have only freed 1 lobster from a ghost trap - it did not have it's main claws, and only 1/2 of the other claws. I doubt that it lived, it looked so bad, I didn't even consider eating it.
It was simply hobbling on the sand - shaking - very sad sight