Lobster / Crab Pots

[Bob on Stronsay]

Well, they no longer fish after the bait has been eaten (about 2 days if its not FULL of nice crab)

But i have seen a string of parlour pots come up that have been lost for months still full of crab, and even dog fish, as they are un-escapable

 

I used to work creels on a 30 footer, I have put creels down and still caught a Lobsters and Crabs, without any bait going in it. I think they actually like the shelter.

 

One of my mates once lost a bag of lobsters from the side of the pier (The Onion bag split), I had a few unbaited pots on the other side of the pair, and managed to get him back three of his Lobsters, I knew they were his, they had elastic bands on.

 

They do work better with bait in general.

 

Bob

[Puffin]

Well, they no longer fish after the bait has been eaten (about 2 days if its not FULL of nice crab)

But i have seen a string of parlour pots come up that have been lost for months still full of crab, and even dog fish, as they are un-escapable

 

 

Not correct. A parlour pot will continue to fish long after the original bait has gone. It is not uncommon for pots to be lost. Crabs that went in after the original bait act as attractors to other crabs. Crabs can and will eat other crabs, so a dead crab in a parlour pot will draw other crustaceans in to feed on it. Here in Alderney parlour pots are banned because of this. Interestingly, it was not conservationists but the local commercial fishermen who asked for the ban because they realised that lost pots were capable of killing a lot of the crab and lobster in the fairly limited area they fish in. Parlour pots IMHO are extremely bad news and should be universally banned.

[Guest challenge]

Not correct. A parlour pot will continue to fish long after the original bait has gone. It is not uncommon for pots to be lost. Crabs that went in after the original bait act as attractors to other crabs. Crabs can and will eat other crabs, so a dead crab in a parlour pot will draw other crustaceans in to feed on it. Here in Alderney parlour pots are banned because of this. Interestingly, it was not conservationists but the local commercial fishermen who asked for the ban because they realised that lost pots were capable of killing a lot of the crab and lobster in the fairly limited area they fish in. Parlour pots IMHO are extremely bad news and should be universally banned.

Maybe it would be better if the commercial fisherman was to use a much more professional attitude and not loose as many pots.

you might as well ban potting altogether if you are going to take the stance that this certain design of pot, (if pots are lost) could be more dangerous to the crab and lobster which they are designed to catch.

[Puffin]

Maybe it would be better if the commercial fisherman was to use a much more professional attitude and not loose as many pots.

you might as well ban potting altogether if you are going to take the stance that this certain design of pot, (if pots are lost) could be more dangerous to the crab and lobster which they are designed to catch.

 

It would be better if less pots were lost, but that is not always down to the professionalism of the fisherman. Sometimes yachties and motor boats run the buff over and the string of pots is lost. OK the fisherman will have the position in his plotter but grappling for lost pots is not always successful. Other times pots are carried away by extreme weather.

 

As for banning potting altogether, i don't think that is a serious suggestion. Like a lot of your posts, Challenge, it could be construed as an attempt to stir up trouble.

 

As I said in my earlier post, the local potters asked for the ban on parlour pots. I don't call that an unprofessional attitude at all. I'd call it a rare but welcome example of commercial fishermen looking to the future of their industry.

Edited December 5, 2006 by Puffin

[Guest challenge]

It would be better if less pots were lost, but that is not always down to the professionalism of the fisherman. Sometimes yachties and motor boats run the buff over and the string of pots is lost. OK the fisherman will have the position in his plotter but grappling for lost pots is not always successful. Other times pots are carried away by extreme weather.

 

As for banning potting altogether, i don't think that is a serious suggestion. Like a lot of your posts, Challenge, it could be construed as an attempt to stir up trouble.

 

As I said in my earlier post, the local potters asked for the ban on parlour pots. I don't call that an unprofessional attitude at all. I'd call it a rare but welcome example of commercial fishermen looking to the future of their industry.

Have just come out the warehouse after finishing off a four bowed steal lobster pot with a parlour.

Why do you think I put a parlour in the pot?

If all your local fishermen think they should be made illegal then why don’t they impose a self appointed ban on these pots?

It’s maybe just a regional thing? I can assure you that in this part of the country (that’s covers the biggest shell fish fishery in Europe) there is not a single fisherman (commercial) that would want to ban parlours in pots.

As regards to stirring up trouble? If not agreeing with a person is steering up trouble (in an anti commercial world) then so be it.

But please relate to my trouble causing on the correct forum so I can reply to you in full.

Regards.

 

Regards.

[Jim Roper]

Cormorants are supposed to be good lobster bait because they last several days.

[Puffin]

If all your local fishermen think they should be made illegal then why don’t they impose a self appointed ban on these pots?

 

If asking for, and getting, a ban on parlour pots in local waters isn't a self appointed ban, I don't know what is.

[solehunter]

Some fair comments there....but going back to loosing pots, it s only the odd few that get lost. Unless the string has been towed away from its position by a large tanker (the rope will snap before it goes too far), or if the lost pots have rolled into a big ball, they are relatively easy to find, a good skipper will know where to look for his pots if they were at risk of being towed away in the tide/heavy seas....

But many that are lost are due to skippers being shot down by other gear and just ruthlessly cutting off the other boats pots and sending them to the bottom never to be seen again....i have seen it happen many times!

So SOME only have themselves to blame if lost pots damage the stocks....but it doesn't take long for an un-maintenanced pot to be smashed to bits by tide and weather!

[Stoaty]

Sometimes yachties and motor boats run the buff over and the string of pots is lost.

Too many pots are badly marked with old cans and drums. There are regulations about marking pots and nets and they include a flag. If skippers can't be bothered to mark them properly they shouldn't whinge when they get chopped off.

[Puffin]

Too many pots are badly marked with old cans and drums. There are regulations about marking pots and nets and they include a flag. If skippers can't be bothered to mark them properly they shouldn't whinge when they get chopped off.

 

Totally agree with you Stoaty. Professionals whose livelihoods depend on it are usually very good at marking their gear. It's usually "hobby" potters with the odd short string or singles that cut corners and use old plastic containers, drop pots in fairways and channels, etc, etc.