Ban inshore lobster pots?

[zefender]

At the risk of being accused of being reactionary, am I alone in feeling that the laying of lobster pots in onshore waters should be banned?
If we believe that getting a lobster pot caught around the prop can be a) expensive b) dangerous c) commonplace. But why is it still allowed? There are pots floating about with a tiny bit of old bin liner (no, not that one) supposedly alerting boaters to them. In reality, you are upon them as quick as a flash. And what is it all for? A couple of quid's worth of lobster (if the fisherman is lucky). Why don't we all pay 10p a year to the fisherman in lieu of having them lay pots elsewhere - or just legislate against them. Personally, I believe they are more trouble than PWCs.

I can't understand why it is still legal to lay pots in some of the busiest boating areas in the world (e.g Solent). Am I alone in thinking this?

 

[Twister_Ken]

Look at it this way - it all helps make life afloat more interesting.

And offshore lobster pots wouldn't catch much anyway!

 

[Chris_Robb]

Fishermen were here along time before the recreatioanal yachtsman, so banning would not be fair or realistic. However I do agree that they should use more visible pots and without floating line. The French are extremely good at marking their pots.

Perhaps improperly marked pots should be cut adrift. If we all did this, they would soon start marking them properly!

 

[zefender]

Surely just because they have been doing it for years doesn't mean that we have to avoid the reality of today? Otherwise:

We'd still be using lead paint on toys
Driving our cars with no silencers fitted
Leaving school aged 11
Watching the black & white minstrels, unembarassed
Not bothered to settle in Australia because there were folk there beforehand

Modern strokes for modern folks?

 

[Chris_Robb]

yes I agree - they must mark them properly. However I cannot see that there would ever be legislation on this. Fisherman who have caused us problems should be sued on the grounds that they have a duty of care.

This won't work either! too expensive, and not many people can be bothered after the event is over.

Only thing that will work is to cut the offending markers free.

 

[Gordonmc]

Add to the hazard, bouys marking any lump of detrius on the seabed which constitutes a wreck. Every spring a rash of orange zits are dragged out by divers and attached with fathoms of excess line ready to trap anyone passing by, in my case two cables off! Luckily I was sailing and only had to unwrap from the skeg.
Not having a go at divers... I am one. But BSAC need reminding at every opportunity to ask member clubs to restrict the number of wreck marks and weight their lines, or better still, use a GPS.

 

[ccscott49]

Dont advocate cutting them adrift, you might find your car cut adrift with the tyres shredded when you got back, careful, dont start messing with fishermen, you will definitely come off worst, I know from bitter experience, when diving and they thought we were raiding their lobster pots, no tyres on the cars!!

 

[ccscott49]

I really trhink you are being reactionary, if it bothers you that much, fit the rope cutters, just like I'm going to do, mind you the ropes I have got round my props were from other sources than lobster pots, we are out there for pleasure, they are trying to make a living, I agree they should mark them better, pfeferably with a danbouy type of affair, but cut them free, do you realsie on the end of that marker is maybe 50 pots, not one, you want to deprive the man of 50 pots and the costs of those pots, wise up gentlemen, steer around them!

 

[BarryD]

Night Cruising

The black flags are pretty hard to see at night! So iif you come across one then sink them as poorly marked. I "heard" that a local marina got so piss*d off with these things that on a Sunday morning they went out and using an air-rifle sunk all the pots around their entry. Raggys and Power types together. Next month they were all properly marked etc...

 

[billmacfarlane]

Sorry to disagree but the fishermen have a right to fish there to make a living. What they should do is mark their pots more clearly e.g with fluorescent flags of a good size set on tall poles and ropes that don't float on the surface.

 

[cynthia]

No way - what would life be without them! However I'd go for regulation colour, size and a highly visible flag. Where there is a net or line strung between the bouys, standardise the marking system, e.g. three floats at each end, with a flag on the seaward side. Then we'd all know where we are, and can treat each other with respect.

Mind you I get really p'd off by our 'locals' who seem to enjoy marking the channel to the marina!!!

 

[claymore]

They\'re such fun

Life going into Portpatrick would just be so tediously ordinary without them.

 

[oldharry]

Re: Making a living

I entirely agree that inshore potters need to mark their pots more clearly. But far from 'making a few bob' as someone suggested - inshore fishermen are having to work incredibly hard just to scratch a precarous living from their activities - so that the rest of us can enjoy our lobster bisque, prawn cocktails or whatever.

In addition to the vagiaries of the weather and the sea - which we are familiar with - and for them the choice is not whether to go, but whether they can afford NOT to go when the going gets rough; they also have to contend with the White Fish Authority - the regulating body of the British fishing fleet, who impose severe restrictions on what and how much they can catch, and who demand high standards of (expensive) safety measures on the boats. Add to that EC quota restrictions which may prevent them putting out at all for many days of the month, and you begin to realise that they actually have a pretty raw deal, and are working against odds that would make many shore based self employed tradesmen give up.

And yes, I do wish they would make things just a little easier for the rest of us with their markers and floating lines all over the place ....!

 

[Guest]

Re: Making a living

Harry you have summed it up prefectly. In my time I have done a bit of potting and if I fouled a pot line whilst on my yacht I would have no qualms about cutting it loose, because it would be a danger to the vessel I was on. As for cutting them just because they are there is nothing short of criminal after all how would us yotties like it if anchored up and taking the G & T's along came a potter and cut the anchor rope because we happened to have stopped right on top of the spot his family have potted for years!!! and has anyone thought that a lot of Lifeboat crews are made up of these guys who because of the fishing restrictions placed on them have both the time and local knowledge to come rescue us when we're in trouble. Folks dont be so quick to dam these guys we should be trying via whatever means possible to get them to mark their gear better

 

[ccscott49]

Re: hear hear!

Exactly what I said!

 

[zefender]

Yes, I suppose I could have rope cutters fitted. Assuming they would work 100%, which is unlikely given their variable effectiveness, then I suppose all other leisure boaters in (say) the Solent could do the same. Assuming £400 each and 5,000 boats on the Solent, this is about £2M. I wonder how much income the lobster pots in the Solent yield? - Let alone elsewhere. To have them in very crowded areas, or dangerous ones like off Portland Bill, just to keep a few guys with a minimal income, seems anachronistic and illogical to me.

 

[ccscott49]

Fitting rope cutters, was a bit tongue in cheek, but the message is the same, they are trying to make a living, for goodness sake! I agree they should mark them better, but to cut the lines of these pots, just because YOU dont like them or feel they are in your way, is a little short sighted, it might also open you up for them to sue you for criminal damage and also I suppose inciting others to commit criminal damage. Dont know not a policeman or lawyer.

 

[zefender]

twas not me that suggested cutting them free (however tempting that might be). I simply suggested a by-law or legislation.

 

[Chris_Robb]

Re: Don\'t upset Fishermen

Your dead right about not upsetting fishermen. We have had some real examples of retribution following police invetigation into rammings and theft near the entrance to Chichester Harbour, and is one of the reasons why I am moving moorings next year.

 

[ccscott49]

OK, Sorry! A bye law sounds a good idea, but who is going to police it etc. We really need to educate the fishermen and just maybe the good old government could supply the dandouys, no use subsidising them, they would use the money for something else! Or make it part of the fisheries inspection, but nothing else the fisheries dept, has done has worked very well, apart from give away our fishing grounds and quotas'.