Lanes Cove

[reefseal]

Heard from another diver that the angry lobsterman put tons of pots at the entry point in Lanes cove to prevent divers from entering. (Ordinance there that that can't dive within 20 feet of a pot) So with so many pots so close together, it's impossible to dive without being in violation. Sort of explains why so many bricks on bottom. (Dropped from angry lobsterman down at divers below?) I like diving there (not so much for bugging but great terrain, neat stuff to see) but not if it means risking having my car key scratched/tires slashed!

Mmmm...

 

[adshepard]

They've played the putting more pots in trick in the past. They never keep it up for long as they need to spread the pots around just to make a living. Somebody probably just pissed them off recently.

DSDO

Alan

 

[Soggy]

I don't get why the lobstermen think we are stealing their catch. None of the divers I know are going into traps. I tried getting into a trap once on the Chester Poling, but that was to save a cod that had gotten stuck way inside of it, not to raid his catch.

 

[PK]

I've seen people park so that other people can't get to their parked boats/trailers and have had to wait for them to show up to move their car. That would bug me.

Anyway, it seems to be well understood for divers to not take lobsters out of traps. I wonder why they think it is happening. Denial over the fact that there is overfishing perhaps. Next, they'll think we're taking the Right Whales from Stellwagon Bank.

 

[Soggy]

PK once bubbled...
Next, they'll think we're taking the Right Whales from Stellwagon Bank.

I caught 3 with my ticklestick just last week. If you're not catching them, it must be your technique. The only problem is you need a really big catch bag.

 

[MSilvia]

I prefer spearing whales with a Hawaiian sling myself. You just need to ride it out until they get tired and then get airfare home.

I'm certainly not going to go reaching into some dark hole trying to grab one... those suckers bite!

 

[negrats]

Ya the lanes cove lobstermen tend to be jerks. This summer I yelled down to one of them cuz he was 20ft away from a dive flag and almost ran over some other divers.

I felt like going back into the water and cutting all his traps lose. Of course I did not do that ... just an evil thought.

I understand we are percieved as a threat to there lively hood but ... there is not need to drive a boat with ignorance and carelessness of divers.... after all they to have to step on land again.

 

[large_diver]

As with any group of people...there are misbehaving lobstermen and there are misbehaving divers. Unfortunately, the few bad apples on the respective sides poison the image each side has of the other.

 

[PeaceDog]

If we all worried about being within 20' of a lobster pot while diving, then none of us would dive. Every single one of us comes to within far closer than 20' while diving at any good dive site in Cape Ann.

I, for one, am not going to stop diving Lane's Cove, especially not because of a few jackass lobstermen that lay down more pots just keep me from seeing firsthand how they continue to rape the North Atlantic. It's one of the best sites up here to see big stuff - I've heard (and seen) multiple reports of very large schools of dogfish, and the one and only time I saw a torpedo ray in the water was at Lane's.

But large_diver raises a great point - is it worth getting my tires slashed? No. Clearly, I and my dive buddies will have to re-think our parking/carpooling/entry next time...

 

[Bob morris]

I don't get why the lobstermen think we are stealing their catch. None of the divers I know are going into traps. I tried getting into a trap once on the Chester Poling, but that was to save a cod that had gotten stuck way inside of it, not to raid his catch.

Hello,I was surfing and noticed these articles on the issue of divers vs. lobstermen and thought I may have had an opurtunity to respond,so I logged in on this site and choose you to reply to as youre letter seemed to be an effort to understand the truth.
I am a full time Pigeon Cove lobsterman and I would like you and all divers to know that I respect youre rights to enjoy the underwater world it is my livelihood and I too love the sea.My cousin sold at one time poseidon scuba gear and has a lifetime of enjoying dives as well.On many occasions I have gone to the shore to ask divers if they would clear my prop of whatever was in there and all have done so gladly and I have always returned a feed of lobsters for their efforts.I cannot speak for all lobstermen,but this is how I operate and always will.The cold facts are as follows though.In summer when lobsters are only caught along the shore tensions run high anyway,because money is tight lobstermen ourselves are on top of one another trying to complete for the few that are up in the shoal water where it just so happens that dive activities take place.The area from behind Pigeon Cove Harbor to past the Lanesville shore is an absolute garruntee that you will be robbed by divers if you fish there.lobstermen on Sat-Sun will neglect other areas to haul the shore first so that our traps cannot be robbed by divers,but this oftens fails.Many divers do not even close the doors so that you might have a chance of catching another.With ocean access on the rise we now get robbed further offshore by divers in zodiacs and other crafts that come from many places to dive.
Many many divers are caught each year with short lobsters ,many times diver rob traps and dont even close the doors.I would like you to now that yes NO cross section of society is without faults and that includes us lobstermen,but it is a long standing practice and something that happens all the time during that time frame .Again I respect youre rights to the sea and my wish was that the scuba divers would realize that opening a trap and stealing what we have caught is no different than me or any other lobsterman reaching in a divers back pocket and taking money out of their wallet.It happens every summer on a growing scale and that is the facts.I wish for you to continue to enjoy your great sport and I can promise that my boat will never fly over your head dropping bricks or bothering youre fun in any way,I have had a good relation with divers ,but the fact remains that as a user group those few that have choosen to ignore honesty remain in numbers large enough to sour all you honest divers reputation in our area.
Thank you for reading and I hope that this letter has helped to inform you to a view from the other side.
Bob Morris