Ban inshore lobster pots?

This sea is big enough for the both of us.

1) Fishermen were there before you were bobbing around in your first Oppie
2) They have to support their families, you're doing it for the leisure

Lastly:
If it bothers you so much, sail offshore. If you're too bothered with lobsterpots, that means only one thing: you're a brown water sailor. Ain't no lobsterpots at +50m depth. So put up or shut up.

Obi-Wan
 
Fishery inspection seems a good start. Or how about a numbering system for the buoys so that non-compliant ones could be reported and fined/suspended?
 
That might work, but I do beleive they are meant to be numbered anyway and how many have you seen? or marked with the vessels number.
 
Re: This sea is big enough for the both of us.

Just because fishermen have been around for thousands of years doesn't give them any right in perpetuity. Sounds like an argument more suited to the playground. They may be trying to feed their families (and I won't get into argument about whether there may be better alternative means of employment) but does this mean they have to, so frequently, drop their pots inappropriately marked, wherever they like? Er... we live in a society y'know.

Yes, I could go offshore and sail in >50metres depth - and often do. But perhaps you could tell me how I get back to my mooring, or leave it?
 
Nice One...!

On the upper reaches of the Tamar (and I am sure elsewhere as well) old CDs twinkle and clatter away very gaily. They are, apparently, the best scarer of seagulls. They havebecome so omnipresent, I sometimes yearn for the good old screech of the odd gull.

JJ
 
A word on behalf of Lobsters

If you cut the lines, lobsters will take a long time to starve to death - not nice.

If fishermen are serious about their profession , like most of us are about our's , they will do their job properly. Theres no excuse not to.
 
Re: Making a living

I do sympathise with the fishermen - they are out to make a living etc, etc,. So other than banning the consumption of lobster yachties can do their bit by perhaps pooling together to provide the appropriate gear for marking pots for the local fishermen. Must be cheaper than a rope stripper, and improve yachtie/fishermen relationships!
 
Re: Making a living

Now we are talking, mind you, its difficult enough to get yachties to put their hands in their pockets for th RNLI, I dont think we are going to have much luck with this one!
 
If the man who laid the pots can see his flag....

so should you! It's called Keeping a Look Out and we are all meant to do it, all the time, when under way.

I suspect that people who get lobster pot lines round their props have cockpit spray hoods, autopilots, radar etc and sail slumped under the spray hood rather than looking where they are going.

Personally, I find the guide to the rate and set of the tide offered by a pot buoy quite handy!
 
Much of the problem could be solved if all fishermen were to use a weighted line down to the pot and a dahn buoy on the top. If this ( like some french markers) was to have a cruciate piece of aluminium, it would show up on the radar.... especially in foggy, still conditions.

In many instances, the culprits are not the real pros ( who do not put their gear at risk from props) but the week ender guys... who are also the ones who use small markers, 5 litre plastic pots and leavem them unhauled and dirty for weeks on end.
 
I really can\'t agree with you

It's likely, in some pub somewhere, some potter is advocating legislation against yotties - and after all professional fishermen were doing it before recreational boaters.

The big problem is the "amateur" potter, who uses unweighted polyprop line and an old 5l plastic bottle for his marker - you see a lot of those in Spanish Atlantic waters.

Round the UK coasts the problem is minute and you'd be taking a sledgehammer to crack a nut.
 
Re: I really can\'t agree with you

I'd save your breath, this chap is really a bit vitriolic about (pot) fishermen!
 
Re: This sea is big enough for the both of us.

have you tried finding 50m off the east coast ..particularly around Cromer?
 
Re: This sea is big enough for the both of us.

I happen to know three of the shore launched crab boat owners are Lifeboat crew, I hope you hid your boat name!
 
Re: Making a living - at who\'s expense?

True, there are many family traditions and fishermen were here before the pleasure boater (heck, before dug-out canoes I expect). However, hasn't their time passed? All of my 40 years I have listened to the fishermen argue about unfair quotas and no government stuck up to them. Now we have a fish-free North Sea.

At risk of being flamed, I would like nothing better than to sea all commercial fising banned for ten years to give the fish a chance to re-group. It's just a pity that for most fish stocks, ten years is too little too late.

Why should they now be doing to the lobster what they've done to almost every species of fish indiginious to our waters? What right do they have to lay 50 or more pots each?
 
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