Lobster Regs?

[amajamar]

I just got my MA non-commercial lobster permit for the first time today. Reading the verrry fine print, it seems to say that you have to have your ID# on your tank and also be towing a flag with your ID# on it as well. I have not ever seen anyone do either of those two things.

Can someone provide some clarification?

Thanks in advance!

 

[matt_unique]

With all matters of this sort it boils down to the discretion of the Environmental Police. You are technically supposed to have your number on your tank and on your dive flag. You of course need to have your paper permit handy as well.

 

[LobstaMan]

Yes, those are the regs. From experience, take a Sharpie or other permanent black marker and put your numbers on your flag. Make the numbers thick and black. Nothing that I know of will stick to the nylon flag. Maybe somebody else knows of something. Another option would be to attach a hard stiff plastic placard to the 'mast' of your dive flag with your numbers on it. That's too involved for me. Coloring the numbers on the flag was easier.

For your tank numbers, don't write numbers or put sticky numerals on your tank. Dive shops sell a plastic placard that has a velcro strap to it that will slide over your tank. Put your numbers on the placard and then put the placard on your tank. This way you can put the one placard on as many tanks as you own.

Pictures would probably help...but, I'm not that computer literate. Sorry. Good luck.

LobstaMan

 

[terrillja]

I use this for my tank numbers: MASS DIVING, INC. - Detail

I put my numbers on my flag with a sharpie by outlining the cutout letters with sharpie and then filling them in.

 

[Bobmarley]

duct tape and a sharpie are the cheapest way to go if you ask me

 

[krustykrab]

Those placards do work, but seem too much of a hassle to me. I have a buddy who uses it and half the time he forgets to put it on, or it gets folded and breaks in half, then he has to get a new one. I just got a big sheet of 3 inch black plastic sticky numbers from a craft store (made out of electrical tape type material) and did up all my tanks for a few bucks. Now they are always there and they've lasted through 2 hydros so far... (10years+)

Yes, marker on the white flag stripe is the way to go for flag marking. And, yes, most EP will check these things, but usually won't give you are hard time on them as long as you've made the effort and aren't being a jerk. Be sure to understand all the measuring (min AND max), v-notch, and egg regs as well - those they are VERY strict on and will fine/ confiscate gear for any violations.

 

[Lursxt]

I have my numbers on my tank and flag. For my tanks, I went to home depot and got the adhesive numbers used for addresses on houses or mailboxes. they work very well. I put my number on the white strip of my flag too. When diving with my buddy, we use one flag with both our numbers on it. What I did there was use MS word to print the numbers to the appropriate size and then laminate it and zip tie it to the mast of the flag. Works well.

 

[yak]

I just marked my numbers on my steel tanks with a marker. They're readable, but not from a distance. Never had a problem with it.

 

[mfalco]

I use a sharpie paint marker on the tanks and a black sharpie on the stripe on my flag.
A charter boat I go out on occaisionally has a dry erase board that they put the numbers on.