Lanes Cove

[MASS-Diver]

Can anyone confirm that this is an actual law, I think it may be an urban legend - can someone post the link and prove me wrong.

Bob, thanks for posting, but, to be honest I find your post a little offensive. "many, many divers are caught with shorts" that's an inflammatory and false statment - how about some data on that one? It's an outrageous statement to make on a public board. I'm glad you respect my right to swim in the ocean, but, alot us who spend time in the water, who have a background in marine biology/fisheries, and have worked in the commerical fisheries, know what poor shape the ocean is really is in. The reason so many fisheries are failing has nothing to do with recreation sportman (divers, fisherman) and everything to do with unsound fishing practices by the commerical segement.

So, again, I'd really love to see some actaully facts about recreational vs commerical violations. I know alot of divers, and, none us take shorts or dive unlicensed, and, I know or have worked for alot of commerical fisherman and all of them bend the regs in one or another.



Also, check out my profile pic, that's a 30-40lb lobster - they are supposed to be common around. 100 years ago this guy would not have been remarkable, you don't see too many these days though.

 

[jchaplain]

Hi Bob,
I'm glad you see both sides to the issue as a lobsterman. I'm a new diver and I don't even like lobster! ( give me a nice steak or cod fillet anyday.)
I hope people are smart enough to take on these problems on an individual basis. Not all scuba divers are after your lobsters ( as you said you know,) and I hope that not all lobstermen are going to harass me for scuba diving near their traps.
If I see a scuba diver taking a lobster from a trap, I guarantee you that I will report him ( to the lobsterman directly if I can find him.) But, if a lobsterboat harasses me, you can bet I will both report him and take some sort of action against him.
But it should not come to this. First of all, everyone should avoid paranoia about the other side and assume that the others are friendly and honest and are there to enjoy scuba or fish the ocean. If you do encounter someone hostile or thieving, then deal with them.
As for the 20 foot rule, I would have to say that that probably wouldn't hold by law if they purposely packed a cove. You have the right to park on a street, but not to park cars in such a way that others can't get down the street. Same common sense rule would apply here I would think.
I hope you stop by from time to time on the board here Bob and help us understand if there are ways we can let more friendly lobstermen know we're on their side.
John C.

 

[reefseal]

Bob,

I appreciate your posting your point of view. Well aware of the plight of today's local lobsterman and sensitive to concerns of few bad eggs out there. I have witnessed myself a diver taking out of a pot so I know it happens unfortunately.

I love Lanes cove. Easy access from shore, parking by entry point. It's got some neat underwater terrain with a cool wall that drops down. Love to see the fish and life in crevices.. (Have once spotted a torpedo ray)

I have heard of run ins that have happened between divers and local lobsterman. (Cars vandalized..) This is why it's not highlighted as site by Cape Ann Divers. When diving there, I try to keep a low profile. I don't go in with a catch bag, I keep well away of pots while under. I also don't mark my car with Dive Flag Sticker for fear someone may want to scratch my car or slash tires..

my .02 cents

 

[Bob morris]

Thank you all for responding,My letter was a reply to Soggy and to also simply state the facts,The answer to the tension that exists is simple as well,if we both keep to the rules the relationship between lobstermen and divers would be great for the most part,but as long as angry lobstermen buzz over your heads and those divers that choose to steal do so the tension will exist.
I would never claim that one group is saintly while the other group is satanic ,but I just wanted to throw the facts out there from a lobstermans point of view and I tried to do so in a manner which showed I have respect for all honest divers.Again I wish all who have read my answer to Soggy to enjoy the sport of diving and if there is anyway that you can communicate to those within youre group who choose to believe that somehow entering a trap and stealing lobsters is acceptable please tell them that it hurts both lobstermen and honest diver alike.I will continue to treat with respect and have to good relation with most divers that I have had for many years and to try to bridge the gaps so that a good day on or under the water doesnt end in frustration with the things you have mentioned or the stolen income from our traps.
Take care
Bob

 

[decapoddiver]

I worked on lobster boat in Maine (where there is no diving for lobster) for over a year. It was fellow lobstermen who would leave the doors open, molest traps etc if you trapped their area. I always find it fascinating that commercial guys automatically assume that the divers do the damage and are the "law breakers". Following is an actual exchange between myself and a self-proclaimed commercial lobsterman as I was packing up my gear following a bug hunt last Spring:

"Did you get any lobster?"
"I got 3 but I saw 4 really big ones."
"Why didn't you keep them too?"
"It's illegal to keep the oversized ones.You know that"
"Ah! You should stash 'em in a bag and come back after dark.That's what we do."

I chose to hope and believe that his was an isolated perspective and not representative of the whole group. Sadly, based on what I have seen, it isn't.

I have to honestly say that I saw far more illegal activity in my time on the lobster boat than I have seen in eight years of diving for them. That's not to say that I haven't seen divers do bad things. I guess the fact that the commercial folks can't actually watch their traps 24/7 makes them a bit paranoid and causes them to believe that any irregularities must be due to outside influences. In Maine, we blamed it on fellow commercial guys, here it's the divers. The fact is, sometimes lobsters don't use your trap and sometimes there are fellow commercial guys who don't like where you choose to set.

This is just just my personal perspective.

 

[Soggy]

Bob,

Thanks for the response from the other perspective. I have had very little experience with commercial lobstermen, but in my experiences with divers, taking from traps is extremely frowned upon in the community. I personally would never dive with someone again if I heard they had taken from a trap and if I could, I'd revoke their diving certification. I have never seen anyone ever steal from a trap....the only time I've touched a trap was to attempt to free a codfish that was thrashing about stuck in one and I was completely unsuccessful in getting the thing open. Most divers (including myself) don't even know how to get inside of them and problem solving with a narc on isn't particularly easy. I seriously doubt your open traps were the result of divers stealing from you, although there are bad apples on every tree.

 

[PK]

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

Bob,

People can just as easily say the same thing about lobstermen, that those few bad ones are enough to sour all lobstermen reputation, but statements like that keep us in total stagnation. It will even cause one side to lose the sympathy for the other side of the fence. I can assure you that I and all the divers I know are in full support of lobstermen and their need to make an honest living. We don't like the agression towards us especially when we're totally on your side.

I think one day we'll all be smart enough to not generalize all lobstermen and all divers and recognize that there are dishonest inviduals. People who want to steal will use the most effective method to do so. Think about it. It's too easy to generalize and place blame even though there's no real proof of the offender nor that it represents a whole community.

I think we should be saying that as a community, divers nor lobstermen are offenders and have respect for the other. We should not be saying things that threatens mutual respect. We're part of the same community really, and want to keep offenders from offending whether they use diving methods or fishing method.

 

[swampy]

Bob

Thanks for your view. there are some point in your post that disturb me. First you say that you found this post as a "Diver VS. Lobsterman" i dont think that was the intent of the post. second you state that. "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." Have you ever physically seen a diver "robbing" your traps? im sorry but that is a broad statement. I for one have never entered or distubed a trap. My Grandfather fished for lobster out of the merrimac in a dory. so i know how hard the work is. In your letter you make statements that could point to the real problem you legitamate lobsterman my be affected by. You state "In summer when lobsters are only caught along the shore tensions run highanyway, because money is tight lobstermen ourselves are on top of one anouther trying to compete for the few that are up in the shoal water where it just so happens that dive activities take place." with such compitition and money being Tight maybee some in your profession are padding there wallets with your catch. Lobstermen have fallen on tough times no one will denie that with the rising cost of operating you boat, and declining fish stock that some may do things just to keep there head afloat. As a diver i can tell you that i had a great year of lobstering i caught approximately 130 lobsters this year but that was over about 40 dives. I have never dove lanes cove. on the two ocassions that i stopped to check out the conditions I was eyeballed by lobsterman whom made it apparent that I was not welcome there. I have nothing but respect for the job you do. as a matter of fact because of my diving activies it has led me to read more about conservation effort, and ocean condition that effect the areas that i visit. As mass diver stated in his post please forward your facts about "Many many divers are caught each year with short lobsters." As for my own bad experinces with lobsterman on one occasion off of Essex while two divers were down and i was onboard the boat a lobsterboat came within 30 feet of our boat which was flying the dive flag
when i pollitely stated that he should be aware that divers were in the water he stated that i was in his ocean. on the other ocassion off pebble beach my dive float got away from me and drifted out. as i sat on the beach and watched a kayaker go to retrieve it no less than three lobster boats drove within 20 feet of it. so because no one pays attention to the flag anyways
i refuse to carry one. I for one will not get dragger or run over because my flag is a target. Ill pay the fine.

I would rather work with you guys than against you.

Swampy
Pmedik201@aol.com

 

[adshepard]

...The area from behind Pigeon Cove Harbor to past the Lanesville shore is an absolute gaurantee (scic) that you will be robbed by divers if you fish there.

Oh come off it. That is pure garbage. You wouldn't know if you were robbed even if it did happen. The door to the trap being open is no clue. The action of hitting the bottom by the trap can spring a trap open and you surely must know that.

I'm allergic to lobster and can't get a MA license as I'm a CT resident anyway. Now I have been tempted to stuff a trap with shorts just to annoy the testy lobstermen but that's just an evil plan that I've never carried out.

If a diver wants to catch lobster he/she has no need to open a trap. Just dive nearby and grab the lobsters heading for the trap. That's not stealing, that's just taking advantage of an oppurtunity.

The attitude of many, not all lobstermen annoys me. I've been aboard dive boats where lobstermen have purposefully run doun dive markers, I've watched lobster boats take runs at dive boats and I've hadd jerks yell at me for surfacing near their lobster traps. When I shout back, "Hey look I'm carrying a camera not your sea-chicken" they still act like jerks.

Just ranting. Again I've never dove with or met a diver that has taken from a trap. Saying that it happens often is just pure hog-wash

DSDO

Alan

 

[oceancurrent]

hmmm....

Just look at this photo I took at Lanes on Nov 26th...

I am not exactly sure what this is supposed to mean, but it ain't bloody inviting!

Although I don't hunt or even eat lobsters, I have been harassed by lobstermen on more than one ocasion. On the other hand, I have never seen a diver vandalize lobster traps! Makes it hard to sympatize the poor starving lobstermen, doesn't it?

Even if there are some scuba diving individuals who steal lobsters, it is hard to imagine that they would be a factor in the decline in the catch. After all, there are far too many traps all over Cape Ann for a diver to visit! Did anybody consider overfishing as the cause of lobstermen grief?

Trish is right though that the only way to relieve the tension would be if both groups work a way to control their misbehaving members. I guarantee that if I ever see a diver steal lobsters, I will give him a hell of a hard time. :losecool:

I would expect the lobstermen to support a similar honor code...