MA lobster license question

[krustykrab]

Anybody know what to do if you want to dive for lobster as well as have traps? If I recall on the renewal, you mark either diving or you mark your buoy colors and they send you the id tags for your traps - what if you want to do both? Now that I have the boat, I wouldn't mind putting out a few traps. I think I recall in the past other divers here talking about both diving for and trapping lobsters??

 

[mello-yellow]

Anybody know what to do if you want to dive for lobster as well as have traps? If I recall on the renewal, you mark either diving or you mark your buoy colors and they send you the id tags for your traps - what if you want to do both?

My recollection is, it is NOT an "either-or" question. You can do both.

 

[PoseidonsGirl1106]

Anybody know what to do if you want to dive for lobster as well as have traps? If I recall on the renewal, you mark either diving or you mark your buoy colors and they send you the id tags for your traps - what if you want to do both? Now that I have the boat, I wouldn't mind putting out a few traps. I think I recall in the past other divers here talking about both diving for and trapping lobsters??

Your license number that you put on your tanks IS your tag number you will use on your pots. When you buy the pots they usually tag the cages for you. ( they did for me) You could probably call MA Fisheries and just tell them your bouy colors. You get 10 pots and have to have one buoy on your boat that has the same colors. Good luck!

 

[PoseidonsGirl1106]

My recollection is, it is NOT an "either-or" question. You can do both.

Exactly......you can do both. And you don't have to wait for renewal.

 

[matt_unique]

Ha ha - yeah it would be interesting to have traps but why bother when you can just dive for them? I can't imagine the traps are cheap and you would be obligated to check them regularly if you're environmentally conscious.

I swear they taste better when I get them myself vs. buying (i.e. from a trap).

--Matt

 

[Rainer]

If you think diving for lobsters pisses off the lobstermen, just imagine what they must be thinking when they see you with your set of lobster traps!

 

[krustykrab]

Ha ha - yeah it would be interesting to have traps but why bother when you can just dive for them? I can't imagine the traps are cheap and you would be obligated to check them regularly if you're environmentally conscious.

I swear they taste better when I get them myself vs. buying (i.e. from a trap).

--Matt

Yeah, I know... but I was thinking more of as a 'supplement' to diving... you know, for when buddies can't go out, just go out and pull the traps, do some fishing.... In the summer it should be pretty nice - just head out a few days a week before work I was thinking, then check them on the weekends when I am out diving. Just a thought...?

 

[PoseidonsGirl1106]

Now that I have the boat, I wouldn't mind putting out a few traps.

Well if you have the boat.....you are going to be "Environmentally Conscious" to check them. (Matt)....so I wouldnt be deterred from trying it. I have fun doing it. I think you should try it......its not that expensive.....and yes... it compliments a day of fishing......I doubt any lobsterman thinks I'm tampering with his traps when its quite obvious I have my own.

 

[matt_unique]

Well if you have the boat.....you are going to be "Environmentally Conscious" to check them. (Matt)....so I wouldnt be deterred from trying it. I have fun doing it. I think you should try it......its not that expensive.....and yes... it compliments a day of fishing......I doubt any lobsterman thinks I'm tampering with his traps when its quite obvious I have my own.

Hey you - what I meant was I hope any 'trapper' checks their traps regularly - it would be cruel to leave them unattended for weeks with lobsters starving in them for example. As a boat owner, I know some weeks/weekends can get crazy and you don't end up on the water. With traps you have a responsibility to get out there no matter what in my opinion.

--Matt

 

[MSilvia]

it would be cruel to leave them unattended for weeks with lobsters starving in them for example.

That would be true if the lobsters are really trapped, but my understanding is that they can leave without much trouble if they want to. They just can't leave quickly. Over the course of a set, several lobsters might come and go from each trap.

If I recall correctly, I read that in "The Secret Life of Lobsters".

Of course, if that's true, then the degradable trap escapes are pretty pointless.