Keeping four short lobsters cost a Berlin man $800.

[decapoddiver]

Why do the EPOs sniff around the dive sites when they should be going after the bigger fish(pardon the pun) on the docks?

Part of it is that the commercial guys are the cop's cousin, Uncle, brother etc.. The Boston Irish having nothing on the Cape Ann fishing families when it comes to "protecting our own".
Also, we can been seen by the public lobstering and therefore...We can be seen being checked by the EPO's. Good PR. The public likes to see their tax dollars at work.

 

[LobstaMan]

Both you guys make perfect sense. I was just ranting and I guess rants really aren't supposed to make too much sense.

LobstaMan

 

[ScubaSarus]

"I guess rants really aren't supposed to make too much sense"

Nothing wrong with thinking out loud. Thats what discussions are about.

 

[mobster75]

Getting caught with shorts is bad, but getting caught with a ripe female, overflowing with eggs is far worse...

Before last summer I had never grabbed a berried female so I wasn't sure if I'd notice the sac and I worried about missing it and getting into trouble. Then I finally grabbed one particularly stealthy lobster, flipped it over and WOW - there was no way to mistake the eggs!

Also never got checked by the EP before last summer. One "lobster day" while we were between dives, an EP cop showed up and started checking catches, checking tank numbers, and lobster permits. One guy got the cop REALLY pissed because he had a notched, egg-laden female. Wtf?! How stupid can you be?

He got away with just a $100 ticket, but the cop said if he saw him again, ever, with any questionable lobsters he'd lose all his gear.