move Lobster Pots

[Bill O]

Originally Posted by Group9

That's our rule. We woke up one morning at anchor in Boca Ciega Bay (which is pretty big for those who don't know) and found some crab fisherman had surrounded our boat with crab pots and floats early while we slept. I had zero problem taking my dinghy and dragging his pots away from our boat's stern where several of them were obviously going to get hung up in our rudder or prop when we swung the slightest bit.

But, if they are there first, I figure, first come, first served.

We have had this happen a few times in various places. The worst happened when some younger, very obnoxious guys who felt we anchored in their spot. They set up there pots before dawn and continued to circle the boat causing a decent amount of wake and noise. Needless to say we were not to happy and were up very early. We didn't move any pots, but did show up on deck w/our hookknife ready to cut away any gear that was hung up on ours. They saw me up on deck w/ the hookknife (while making a cutting gesture across my throat w/my thumb) and immediately their smirks changed to a more concerned look. Luckily nothing happened and didn't have to cut any of their gear.

Most waterman we've encountered are fairly nice, but there are plenty that have a chip on their shoulder against yachties. They do things out of spite like surround your boat w/pots and go out of their way to go by anchored boats at full speed while throwing up a large wake. I'm sure they think we are out having fun while they are hard at work trying to make a living, thus giving them more rights.

I'm not sure which was there first, the mooring fields or the waterman. IMO everyone should have equal rights to water access/privileges. Sometimes hate mooring fields as they do take up prime anchorage spots and they act like they own the land under the water. In most places, the moorings are no more than squatter's rights and anyone can plop a mooring in the water. In Maine consideration of the tide (~12') has to be made for mooring placement, which is most likely the same spot that would be best for placing pots. In the end, who has the rights to congest the waterways?

All along the East coast you either have lobster or crab pots and some areas are very heavily congested w/floats. We try to avoid them as much as possible and sharpen our sailing skills by doing the "float dodge/shuffle" as we sail through the fields. When they actively place pots around the boat I'll ask them to move them (usually they oblige), but I'm not going to move their pots myself or touch them (besides cutting them away from our gear).


Bill O.

[letsgetsailing3]

A person may not raise, lift, transfer, possess or in any manner molest any lobster trap, warp, buoy or car except as provided in this section. [2003, c. 520, §5 (AMD).]

1. Permitted activities. Lobster traps, warps, buoys and cars may be raised, lifted, transferred, possessed or otherwise molested by the following:
A. A marine patrol officer; [1989, c. 428, (NEW).]

B. The licensed owner; [1989, c. 428, (NEW).]

C. Any person having written permission from the commissioner; and [2003, c. 520, §5 (AMD).]

D. Any person authorized by rule pursuant to subsection 2. [1989, c. 428, (NEW).]




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Seems fairly straightforward. The law views molesting lobster traps as if you're interfering with someone's livelihood.

[Nicholson58]

We were on a mooring in Bah Habah. They dropped pots throughout the moorings and even against our hull. I was told they had legal RIGHTS to place traps anywhere. They in fact did.

[tomfl]

I have mixed feelings about this issue.

There are lots of places in South Florida and the Florida Keys where lobster and crab pots are as thick as they seem to be in Maine. I would also guess boats are more densely packed in South Florida than in Maine (please lets not argue about this and simply agree there are lots of boats on the water). One problem I see in South Florida/Keys is that a lot of folks on boats act like bozos; an example would be a big sports fisherman on auto pilot at top speed going through a mass of pots.

I also realize that it is a tough job to harvest lobsters and crabs. I know guys with permits for lobster traps and they expect to lose traps due to pleasure boaters; not to mention other commercial boats. But some of the lobster guys seem to have a chip on their shoulder. Last trip to DT I was sailing in light winds making 5 knots and a lobster boat circled and shadowed me all through the Quicksands and warned me not to steal from his traps. I was single handing and had no intention of stopping as I wanted to anchor before nightfall. There have also been several times shots have been fired at pleasure boats suspected to be too close to pots.

Maybe my biggest gripe is that most of the lobster harvest from the Keys is shipped to China; something that does not seem to be sustainable to me. Same for lots of seafood harvested in the Bahamas. Bottom line is the real problem is that there are simply too many people; be they commercial fishermen or pleasure boaters.

[tarian]

Same issues all over the World , it just needs a calm head and a little understanding
I appreciate our American cousins like ot talk about shooting people and cutting throats
but here in the UK we tend to have rules that everyone follows (mostly)
All pots in Scotland must be marked by a large bouy and the name of the Fisherman , they have the right to drop their pots anywere as long as it does not interfere with the usual navigational routes
As far as I know anchorage spots and mooring fields are not navigational routes , they are little symbols on maps suggesting something
But then why would a lobsterman want to lose all his pots in a mooring field , they cost money , so one would assume thatthey avoid them as much as possible , unless it is a historical area of good lobsters , so why anchor there ? Also be polite and coole headed towards the fishermen , and ask them to allow you out so they can get on with their work, then the next yacthie they come across they will pass on the good vibes and everyone will get on
One day you might be glad those hardy souls are out there in all weathers and they answer your Mayday call

[AllenRbrts]

All the lobstermen we have met in Maine have been very friendly. It awesome to buy directly from them.

Only minor complaint from me is they get going really early in the morning. certainly don’t need an alarm clock[emoji3]

[Chotu]

Originally Posted by AllenRbrts

All the lobstermen we have met in Maine have been very friendly. It awesome to buy directly from them.

Only minor complaint from me is they get going really early in the morning. certainly don’t need an alarm clock[emoji3]

That's my only complaint as well. Ha ha. Semi displacement hulls at full throttle and a dry exhaust stack with hardly any muffler makes for a perfect alarm clock at dawn every day.

[MicHughV]

...I delivered a sailboat to Maine some years ago.

Never again !

Even at night, our radar was picking up lobster buoys way out at sea.
Those lobster buoys are marked with radar reflectors.
At first we could not figure out what was causing the radar alarm to go off, but the buoys could be clearly seen on the radar screen. We thought it was a boat, but could discern no lights. We finally sailed right by a cluster of lobster pots, I could have reached out and touched them. Those friggin' things were everywhere !!

We had the misfortune to arrive in the early hours of the morning, while still quite dark and happened to snag a trap we never saw and once dawn broke my eyes could not grasp the multitude of traps in the water there. I dunno how people sail there, seriously, it is impossible to travel in a straight line more than 10' without hitting a trap.

We had the good fortune to have arranged dockage prior to our arrival as I could see that anchoring there would be nightmare. Some areas do seem to have mooring balls available.

I must say, I did enjoy eating the lobsters, which can be found just about anywhere in Maine, but they were small, barely legal size. Locals told me that big lobsters are long gone. Over-harvested.

With so many traps in the water, for the life of me, I don't know how the lobstermen manage to make a living, as snagging a lobster appears to be a hit or miss thing.

I flew back !!

[ggray]

Originally Posted by MicHughV

...I must say, I did enjoy eating the lobsters, which can be found just about anywhere in Maine, but they were small, barely legal size. Locals told me that big lobsters are long gone. Over-harvested.

!!

The watermen may solve the problem for us. It won't be the first sea life they eradicated from overfishing.

The farmer reaps what he sows. The watermen just take.

I have the upmost respect for the skills and willingness of watermen to work under adverse conditions. But I don't think they should have ownership of the water, which it appears they do in many places.

My experience is with crab pots farther south, but expect it's the same situation. Open water is tolerable, but anchorages shouldn't be covered with pots.

[davefromoregon]

Originally Posted by deblen

It is illegal to haul or interfere with a lobsterman's gear in Maine.


They hate cats in particular-twice the props & sail drives are bad for picking up rope.
Install a rope shedding bar from the bottom of your sail drive up to the hull bottom @ 45deg. angle.



https://legislature.maine.gov/statut...12sec6434.html


Rope line cutters are legal in Maine.https://www.spursmarine.com/shaft-cutters/

I’ve gone up and down the Washington coast and we whine about the crab pots. We have absolutely nothing like this.

Couple questions:
-why do crab or lobster fishermen put pots in marked channels?
-don’t the fishermen get tied up in these lines also?

[B-Baysailer]

Whenever I go to maine I bring tennis balls with me .if I'm in a area with pots next to the boat I put them on the end of the bouy to stop the tapping of it on the hull and keeping me awake.i get some funny looks from the lobster man but they leave them on the bouys

[CaptTom]

Originally Posted by ggray

The watermen may solve the problem for us. It won't be the first sea life they eradicated from overfishing.

The farmer reaps what he sows. The watermen just take.

First of all, the lobster fishery has been strong for many, many decades. The catch has remained pretty consistent, albeit in recent years ocean warming has affected the natural range of the lobsters. It's a sustainable fishery.

Their ARE regulations. Lots of them. And the watermen follow them. Try as they might, the lobstermen barely have a seat at the table concerning regulations.

If you're going to rail on any industry or trade, you have to consider the whole picture. People need to eat. They like lobster. There is an economically feasible and environmentally sustainable way to harvest them. There are all kinds of rules and restrictions to keep it that way.

What are you suggesting we should change?

[ggray]

They can place al the pots they want in open water, but leave some space so that others can anchor in the relatively few areas appropriate for anchoring.
Sharing.

[Chotu]

Originally Posted by ggray

They can place al the pots they want in open water, but leave some space so that others can anchor in the relatively few areas appropriate for anchoring.
Sharing.

And this is exactly where the problem lies.

They can place their anchors anywhere they want in open water, but leave some space so that others can drop the lobster pots in the relatively few areas appropriate for fishing for lobster.

There in lies the rub. LOL

[Maine Sail]

Originally Posted by dhauck

I'm sorry I thought I was in the USA, so murder is legal in Maine? The pots are raised by mere humans every day, and I just moved one. I will again if need.

Dropping a pot in a mooring field does not instantly give you land ownership rights. Calm down.

Haters, and trolls stay away. Just real people with real experience please reply.

The lobstermen in Maine are some of the last real cowboys, so please be careful. They are also backed by Maine law. If you want to risk getting shot or, much more likely, having your boat rammed or winding up with a cockpit full of rotting bait (this happened to a guy in our anchorage after he moved a fishermans traps), then go ahead and keep moving them, otherwise I would suggest you move elsewhere.

Moving traps can create a tangled mess on the bottom as the "strings" are all laid in the same direction. Want to get the ire up of a lobsterman go ahead a drag his string over the next guy on the bottom. messes like this can take hours to untangle.

Beyond worrying about the lobstermen, it is illegal for you to move, touch, haul lobster gear potentially ending in a Class D crime, and the fine can also be quite stiff.