Who's interested in a NH law for lobster diving?

[Bullswan]

Needs a little tweaking. I've put those in bold and will see the attorney Monday-Tuesday. The bill as it is now is below....
I think we still need to add.......

Item 1. No person shall take lobsters from any water under the jurisdiction of this state without first procuring a valid and proper license to do so as provided in RSA 211: 18 paragraph III (a), whish is AMENDED to include a Recreational license endorsement to include scuba diving as one form of recreational license.

2. No taking of lobsters shall occur from sunset and 1 hour before sunrise.

3. Amend RSA 211:23-a to read as follows:
Prohibited Methods of Taking. No person shall at any time take any lobsters by any methods EXCEPT by hand. Use of a tickle stick, which is a straight or slightly bent stick used to agitate a lobster into coming out of his hole is also allowed. Prohibited methods shall include spearing, dipping, dragging or snaring. Spearing is the use of spear gun, pole spear, or any other object that may be used to pierce the shell of the lobster as a means of harvest. Dipping is the use of a dip net. Dragging is the use of mobile or hauled nets or dredges. Snares are poles with loops. Under no circumstances, are traps of others to be touched by a scuba diver.

4. Rules governing the Sex and Size of Lobsters allowed to be taken shall be determined yearly by the Executive Director, but shall not be any different for Recreational Scuba Diving license holders than for Commercial license holders.

5. Violations of the rules of this Scuba Diving endorsement by a licensed scuba diver shall be punishable by a fine determined by the Executive Director which may also include revocation of future license privileges.AN ACT relative to special licenses for taking lobster while engaged in recreational scuba diving.

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

1. Lobster licenses; Recreational Scuba Diving Endorsement. Amend RSA 211:18, III(a) to read as follows:
4. Amend 211:18 III(a) to read as follws:
a) If a person is a resident of this state, AS DETERMINED BY DRIVERS LICENSE and does not take lobsters or crabs for the purpose of sale and does not use more than 5 traps, the person may receive a recreational lobster and crab license. The total number of licenses issued under this subparagraph may be limited by the executive director, but shall be not less than 100 each year.

2. New Paragraph; Special Lobster license; Scuba Diving. Amend RSA 211:18 by inserting after paragraph iii-b the following new paragraph:
iii-c For an additional $ 15 fee, a person holding a recreational license under subparagraph III-(a) by paying the fee in subparagraph III-a(g) who wishes to engage in scuba diving as a recreational and not commercial activity, and who is in compliance with RSA 270:31 through 32-a, and has attained age 18 years of age, shall be permitted to take lobsters under a special license endorsement of the license issued by the executive director under subparagraph III(a). The scuba diving endorsement shall be valid for the month of September only. The total number of scuba diving endorsements issued under this subparagraph may be limited by the executive director, but shall not be less than 100 per year. The license endorsement shall consist of letters and/or numbers which the person engaged in scuba diving shall affix to his or her diving tanks and regulation dive flag in a contrasting color making it readily visable to a conservation officer. The number of lobsters taken per day by scuba diver holding an endorsement under this subparagraph shall not exceed 5 per licensee and shall be taken only for the consumption by the licensee, and the licensee's family and guests. The license cannot be transferred to any other person.
Effective date. This act shall take effect July 1, 2012.

 

[DavidInNH]

Not to sound picky but I think item 2 doesn't make grammatical sense: Should read "BETWEEN sunset and one hour before sunrise" (not "from..."). Otherwise, go for it!

 

[Bullswan]

thanks. It will be changed. Spread the word. Already getting heat from lobsterman and some reps. Going to take a good crowd at the statehouse for hearing day.... The lobsterman will definitely attend.

 

[porgyhunter]

Not to sound picky but I think item 2 doesn't make grammatical sense: Should read "BETWEEN sunset and one hour before sunrise" (not "from..."). Otherwise, go for it!

The half hour before Sunrise...half hour after sunset has always worked well in Mass.

 

[reefseal]

Do you still have our email addresses? You previously requested anyone interested in this to send you an email so you can update everyone. Not all of us check this website daily. We need to have a major presence at hearing so want to make sure know about it.

If I get an email, I'll be sure to send note to members of Finaitics and United Divers, and to post on FB pages of NH dive shops.

Luis

 

[theduckguru]

You can use a tickle stick, but no dip net?

 

[Bullswan]

I sent an email just minutes ago with all the emails I have. The Legislature changed email servers this summer and I lost all the email addresses and the prior emails. I found one that I had forwarded to my personal account and that I am not sure had ALL the participants that said they would help.

Please respond to that email I sent out with the subject line LOBSTER if you still are active and want to be notified of progress.

Also if you know of others that should be on the email trail.
Greg

 

[jpiolu]

Before submitting the final bill, I suggest you talk to whoever is at the top of the marine fisheries law enforcement chain of command. He or she may have some insights regarding enforcement issues and other concerns commercial lobstermen may have that we don't usually hear about.

For those who will be attending the hearing, be ready with your arguments and counter arguments to whatever the commercial guys might say. Visit the docks and spend some time talking to lobstermen about why they don't want divers taking lobsters.

 

[Bullswan]

Good points. We DID speak with the Executive Director of Fish and Game in Concord. He initiated the conversation by saying that as an ex-lobsterman himself he would fight this tooth and nail. We tried to reason with him by discussing one point after another of this approach that would only modify the, currently allowed, non-commercial licenses and therefore shouldn't affect the overall take but he would have non of that.
The idea of discussing the issue with lobsterman on the docks is interesting. The ones I have spoken with personally have ZERO interest in hearing our side of the proposal. Maybe others will have better luck.
It will be an up-hill battle. I'll be seeking out some support today at the Statehouse.

 

[reefseal]

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