Interesting lobster regulation

[Mr Carcharodon]

I personally have never seen Pacific Spiny Lobster sold in a store, or even a restaurant above the Mexican border. I'm guessing that it's not a commercially viable catch.

Billy

It seems to me there are a lot of commercial traps out during lobster season.

 

[Empty V]

It seems to me there are a lot of commercial traps out during lobster season.

I've seen lots of traps, just not bugs for sale.

Billy

 

[jlyle]

I personally have never seen Pacific Spiny Lobster sold in a store, or even a restaurant above the Mexican border. I'm guessing that it's not a commercially viable catch.

Billy

A large portion of the commercial catch is exported to Japan & elsewhere. In season, you can get live and cooked spiny lobsters at Captain Kidd's or Quality Seafood at the Redondo Pier.

Annual commercial take of spiny lobster in California is approx. 750,000 pounds.

 

[Sam Miller III]

how would they know you didn't buy lobsters at the store and put them in the freezer?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Your question is a good one and should have been answered along time ago.

Lobsters are crustacea and are further sub divided by genus and species. Each has its own distinguishing characteristics, of size color, configuration and defense mechanisms.

It is noted that you reside in Boston, near the center of the east coast lobster industry. The lobsters there are distinct in that they have claws, are smooth bodied and closely resemble the common fresh water crawfish. These lobsters are scientifically identified as "homarus americanus."

On the west coast of the US from about San Luis Obispo (1/2 way between LA & SF) to Cedros Island off Baja Mexico (1/2 way down Baja) the lobster are identified as "panularis interruptus." They are dark red almost brick color and are covered with a spiny infested shell similar to rose thorns as a defense mechanism.

In the Caribbean area there is a distant cousin the "panulirus argus." The p.Argus has distinctly long legs, bright colored body and also covered with spines.

Currently the California and one would assume the American market has been infiltrated with p.Argus from central & south America, the "panulirus cygnus; "the famed "Australian rock lobster" and on occasion the south African rock lobster, the jasus ilandii. They also have spines and brightly covered shells.

Therefore, armed with a a certain amount of knowledge and a little experience it is certainly not difficult to distinguish if the lobster was caught locally or purchased from the local market. If over the accepted in possession limit there has been a violation of the law--straight and simple.

In the 1960s the California F&F (Fish & Game)re- located a number of fry and adult h.Americans to the waters of northern California. Few if any h. americanus survived the ill fated and poorly executed experiment

For your information the rarest of all California lobsters is the famed "homaris californicus." a cross between the east and west coast lobsters, large claws as well as long sharp spines, however only a few have been seen or captured. One 16-1/2 pound specimen was displayed for about 20 years in the shop that taught Dr Bill his diving skills, the Aquatic Center of Newport Beach. The owner and Dr. Bills instructor, Mr. Ron Merker had a standing reward of $1000.00 1980 dollars for a live one delivered to his shop..lots of people saw them but no cigars

SDM

 

[drbill]

That's always been my understanding of "possession." Of course I stopped taking them back in 1975... but will not hesitate to eat them if a buddy takes a few legally.

 

[dpbishop]

Grilled Lobster, Boiled Lobster, Lobster Thermador, Lobster Bisque, Lobster Souffle' , Lobster with herbs de Maqui, Lobster Salald, Lobster Tacos... There's just no excuse for having Lobster in the freezer. Eat some, go get some more. Don't tak shorts, don't go over the limit, don't take out of seasons. The commercial lobstermen would like nothing better than an excuse to abolish sport lobster fishing, even though what we take is a pittance compared to what they get.

 

[Zombie_Diver]

I will be lucky if I catch any.... this is my first year.... lol

 

[Clammy]

You guys are calling people greedy and saying "take what can eat" but I seriously doubt anyone is catching them and shoving them in to a freezer to let them rot. They'll just eat them later or perhaps throw a party and have others eat them. I plan to try to catch as many as I can in the first few days specifically to have a lobster dinner with my friends. This isn't greedy, they just can't dive.

 

[MaxBottomtime]

I plan to try to catch as many as I can in the first few days specifically to have a lobster dinner with my friends. This isn't greedy, they just can't dive.

If you have more than seven lobsters in possesion, it would not only be greedy, but poaching.

 

[DeerCreekers]

Bag limit......here's to hoping this is problem Deercreekers's Jr and I have 3 weeks from now.