Oversize Lobsters

[warpig]

you forgot to mention the wanton threat of unadulterated physical violence against the perpetrator. (i didnt even know mr craft sold cans of rodney harrison)

so from what i gather from a couple posters here is that its ok to kiss someone's ***** over a lobster, but not when they vandalize your car while you're diving?

:sofa:

I'll bet the scalding pot of water is more akin to torture (even though recent studies have shown that lobsters don't feel pain). And I have to admit that I find the self-righteousness here (which is admittedly well-intentioned) to be a little crazy. A while ago, I posted a comment asking if there was any wiggle room on the max size. The response was pretty intense. Let's just remember one thing -- the regs are arbitrary to some extent. There has to be a cut off, and 5" must have sounded like a nice round number. Taking a 4.99 inch lobster probably does as much damage as a 5.01 inch lobster, except the latter is illegal. How about taking 15 1-pounders every day? Probably more damage. If you're extremely concerned with preserving the lobster population, don't take any. Am I excusing the taking of a short or a long? Absoluletely not. I'm just saying that its all relative. Some people drive 55. Others drive 60. Are the people that drive 70 evil, while those driving 69 are stewards of the road? Would I say something or alert the police if I saw someone coming out of the water with a bunch of shorts? Yes. But its pretty crazy that so many people are dying to be hall monitors for such a minor infraction (e.g. taking a 'long to get a photo then returning it to the ocean).

 

[matt_unique]

.....
so from what i gather from a couple posters here is that its ok to kiss someone's ***** over a lobster, but not when they vandalize your car while you're diving?

:sofa:

Hell no, that should involve similar bodily damage.

 

[Burke1973]

I just wanted to add my 2 cents. I have been stopped by the EP after a dive and had a nice discussion with the officers. My buddy had caught an illegal lobster. He had no intention of taking it, but only wanted a picture. He came out of the water to grab his camera and the EP where there. Even though he left the lobster in the water they still went and pulled it out saying that once it was taken it was as good as dead. My friends and I wanted them to simply release it back into the water, but they said it was as good as dead and took it with them. Now for a lobster to die that quickly surprises me. He got a fine, but nothing more. The EP were understanding and knew all he wanted was a photo so they went easy on him. I had one legal bug in my bag, but it wasn't worth the hassle so I let him go before coming out. We were lucky because they were busy busting some other divers who had many shorts, and were telling me of another they arrested for catching over 40 eggers and illegals. That guy should rot in hell for that. The only thing that I questioned was did they really donate the large lobster to the homeless shelter like they had said!!

 

[mtsidford]

I for one believe a lobster at the minimum size is just not worthy. If we were to increase the minimum carpace length by a centimeter or two then the majority of the lobsters we would catch would be over 2 or 3lbs which would do a few good things. First it would give young female lobsters the chance to become egg bearing and those of us lobster divers would take fewer lobsters home knowing 1 or 2 would feed us opposed to 3 or 4.
As for the big guys It would be nice to have the no limit restrictions that are enjoyed south of P-town but I'm not willing to give up my bug diving future to do so. I believe there is no harm in taking a few pics and returning them back to the sea when done quickly. Those pics you may see on here of illegals may be from a long time ago when there were no restrictions so don't cast judgment just yet.

 

[yak]

...
Even though he left the lobster in the water they still went and pulled it out saying that once it was taken it was as good as dead. My friends and I wanted them to simply release it back into the water, but they said it was as good as dead and took it with them
...

I'll bet he had the butter melting as soon as he got home. I've never heard of such BS.

 

[Scuba65]

I think that's also BS....please it won't die that soon. I truly don't believe in taking them out for just a picture. admire it u/w and take the legal size one's. but, all that is bull crap that it was as good as dead..ya, in his pot.

 

[MadisonK]

My freinds and I catch alot of lobsters. The vast, vast majority are the just barely legal kind. The truth is I find them to be more of a hassle than anything else. If I could find larger lobsters (2-3lbs) consistantly I would be much happier taking fewer. I think it would be great if they upped the size limit but not for divers alone. It would have to include commercial guys as well.

As for illegal's (short or long) I don't allow it on my boat and not because of the threat of fines or losing my boat. I don't allow it because I selfishly want to be able to find more lobsters next year than I did this year.

I personally don't pull obsters out to photograph them but I can't imagine it harms them in the least. I am also a flyfisherman and practice mostly catch and release for stripers. Given the resurection of this fishery due entirely to size restrictions and catch and release fishing I doubt very much that this practice bothers the fish significantly but we've all got our own opinions don't we?

 

[scubastew]

I think I might be tempted to agree about up'ing the minimum size limit for everyone. Those 3 1/4 carapace bugs dont have a whole lotta meat in them, need to eat 2 or 3 to be full (and its a lot of shell breaking). But I think the "twin lobster special" and restuarant industry is built on these "chics" so it's pretty lucrative for the lobster wholesalers. At least i think I read that somewhere..

 

[LobstaMan]

Good thing the EPOs didn't catch you enjoying a post dive beverage in the parking lot. They would have confiscated your beers by saying "those beers as good as warm", we'll take them and give them to a homeless shelter(secret code words for 'my refrigerator and/or cooler'). Hah!! That's a good one!

LobstaMan

 

[MASS-Diver]

Lots of the pics of big lobsters you see are from years past, the max size law is less than 5 years old. Here are of some close call, legal bug I've caught recently:

http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=67899

http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=60245

As the EPO guy told, for min size if the gauge hangs off it's illegal, for max size as long as it hangs off you are fine.