Lobster pots: what happens and what do you do?

[Seajet]

I'm only going to post once, as last time I got involved in a slanging match with some berk fisherman who actually said it's quite oK to endanger the lives of sailing families as 'they shouldn't sail among pots' !

My particular beef is with pots in places like Portland Race inshore passage, where the pots are towed underwater by the current.

I was told that a good lookout can see them and anyway it's a good lucrative place to lay these traps for lobsters and boats alike !

I agree the amateurs are among the worst offenders, but as has also been said I notice the French etc use far better marks.

Fishermen show no regard for the sea - ever seen the non-biodegradable junk they throw over the side ? And no regard for other people.

Blueglass, I'm with you 100%, now pass me my long pruning shears and let me among the dangerously positioned, unmarked offenders !

 

[capnsensible]

We were still a ways from Finnisterre and was abot mid morning. The line was so badly wrapped around the prop, the engine would not start in neutral. I was obliged to sail past the Cape as the rising North winds made entering the Northern Rias a bit iffy, plus I have good knowledge of La Corruna, so my decision was to head there.

 

[capnsensible]

We of course arrived about 2 ish in the morning with the wind by now falling, lots of electrics switched off as no engine and tacked slowly in around the big breakwater against the big fishing fleet setting out!. Rounded the head and with the last bit of weigh, anchored safely.

 

[blueglass]

I suspect that the fishermen you dismiss will probably think you are the reckless one for sailing in waters where pots have been laid for generations before liesure yachting was ever thought of.

Please tell me where I dismissed fisherman?
reckless????? its called the right of navigatiion and it belongs to me as much as fishermen.

lets not get too caught up in your role as defender of the weak and defenceless and look at the real situation.
I gather from your "salty tale" that your experience was no more than a minor inconvenience.
Others would have a different story to tell.

 

[ChrisE]

Lobester Pots and poorly marked fishing gear are a danger to recreational crafts, but also can cause expensive damage to large vessels.

By law fishing gear must carry the name of an identification of the vessel who owns them. Most fishermen do not mark their gear. Some for ignorance, most because they know that if their gear is cause of damage to other vessels, and the gear wasn't appropriate and visible, they are liable to pay damage.

Unmarked fishing gear can be regarded as "abandoned fishing gear".

Abandoned fishing gear can and should be removed. I encourage everyone to cut the lines and remove any found abandoned gear.

AFAIA the only legislation regarding marking of gear refers to gear outside of UK territorial waters.

I'm also not sure where the notion of abandonned gear comes from, do you have a source?

 

[capnsensible]

Sorry about the bitty way of doing this, but have lost longer posts before!!

Called marina in morning and got a rib alongside to tow us into a berth, free of charge. Got diver organised, arrived in 20 mins. Went in and came straghit back up, laughing too much to keep demand valve in. He eventually freed off two gert big pink marker buoys and oodles of line, gave him 40 euros and much entertainment.

Had a happy 2 days in La C.

So, actually, I have some experience of the problem.

I could tell you about a big polythene sheet in the Solent, a pot off Horse Sand Fort and a b ig bit of fishnet in mid atlantic, but mebbe not now.

Keep a good watch !

 

[blueglass]

Sorry about the bitty way of doing this, but have lost longer posts before!!

Called marina in morning and got a rib alongside to tow us into a berth, free of charge. Got diver organised, arrived in 20 mins. Went in and came straghit back up, laughing too much to keep demand valve in. He eventually freed off two gert big pink marker buoys and oodles of line, gave him 40 euros and much entertainment.

Had a happy 2 days in La C.

So, actually, I have some experience of the problem.

I could tell you about a big polythene sheet in the Solent, a pot off Horse Sand Fort and a b ig bit of fishnet in mid atlantic, but mebbe not now.

Keep a good watch !

My "inconvenience" comment was made after reading instalment 1 - thought that was it.

I can't beleive after your experience that you still think inadequately marked gear is a good idea

 

[capnsensible]

Not, actually, a minor inconvenience, but a major, major pain in the ar$e and need not of had a happy ending.

Blase.... er... no.


Understanding that fishermen actually dont care what you think is fairly important. I know they dont give a toss what I think!!!!!

 

[capnsensible]

Its a **** idea to not mark pots but we are not going to change them. In Antigua for example, the marker will often be an empty plastic coke bottle. The pepsi ones are rubbish too.

 

[blueglass]

I had in fact worked that out for myself.

I also accept that the possibilty of change is unlikey as there is no will to enforce existing regulations never mind new ones.
that won't stop me from arguing the toss with anybody who tells me to be sympathetic to the perpetrators.
Maybe we should all take up seajet's pruning shears idea.

 

[Ariadne]

I've at sea in most capacities (fishing Pots trawling, lining, MN and sailing) for 30+ years and never run over a lobster pot once, I suspect that's because they tend to on the sea bed not floating around. But you guys know best!!

In the same respect I've never run over a pick-up line (yet) either, I strongly suspect that is because my crew and I keep a good look out for buoys and tend to shy away from them. Fishermen tend to lays pots in strings varying from 10 to 50 pots a go. They always tend to lay these where the fish are and historically have been, this area will move as the season progresses.

So my point is; just go and ask them where they are going to be working - then, if possible you can avoid this area - if not, you know there are going to markers there.

All fishermen I know are happy to help out as they don't want to loose their gear, and neither do they want to be responsible for damaging another boat of injuring somebody.

Anyway, now you lot of self appointed judges juries and executioners, of all things which hinder your enjoyment of our seas, can go back to hanging fishermen. Some of you need to get a life and a serious grip on reality. Its easy being nasty on the internet!!

 

[Seajet]

Easy being nasty in real life if a fisherman ! 'Go up and ask them where their pots ( let me explain very slowly, we mean pot marker buoys, but thought that would be patronising to explain every time ) - are ?

You'd either get ignored or a mouthful of abuse, and they would VERY likely keep the positions secret - from their alleged chums, hence the use of salt blocks to keep buoys hidden until a set time - or if not GPS they wouldn't be able to tell even if they wanted to.

A good lookout does not work terribly well in rough seas, at night or if the buoy is dragged underwater by the current.

If people leave items which are dangerous to navigation in narrow channels, they deserve to lose their gear and go back to the higher moral ground, like mugging old ladies.

'Professionals of the sea' ? I have sailed WITH them, and I can completely and honestly say, B*****CKS !

Right, that still won't get through as Darwin has patently failed already, so I am off now.

 

[blueglass]

So my point is; just go and ask them where they are going to be working - then, if possible you can avoid this area - if not, you know there are going to markers there.

As points go, thats about he most pointless I have heard so far on the subject. Are you seriously suggesting that before we set out of harbour we have to trawl through all the local pubs and ask if anybody is running out pots today?? Or do you imagine there is a local "pot marker information centre" run by the friendly local fishermen? Even if it were remotely practical to do so, you assume we all run around the same little bit of coast every trip and never leave the local area where we have studied, memorized and charted all the pot runs.

 

[Leighb]

I had a pot rope experience a couple of years ago. It was at night on our way back from Holland. We were motoring as the wind had dropped to <5knots.

We suddenly came to a stop with the engine shuddering and emitting clouds of black smoke. I immediately engaged neutral as I guessed what had happened. We were held fast, and probing around with a long telescopic boathook did not reveal where the line was. We certainly did not even consider going over the side in the dark with a fair tide running.

We called the CG who sent out the life boat. They tried and failed to cut the line with a long cutter from their RIB. They then towed us in to Harwich. Steering was awkward as the rudder was partly jammed.

When the coxswain cleared the obstruction later that morning (fantastic service- you will never hear me knocking the RNLI) it consisted of a great length of floating type polypropylene rope with a lot of plastic floats and weights attached.

The coxswain told me that the fishermen expect to lose some of their pick up buoys each year, but, a propos of a comment earlier in the thread, they can easily pick up their pots again as they have all the positions on GPS.

Fortunately inspection showed no damage to engine or rudder. There is no room for a rope cutter, long keel with prop in aperture only just big enough and no room on the shaft. I just hope it doesn't happen again, but I don't do much night sailing.

 

[willpatten]

Slight drift, but am considering one of these.

http://www.prop-protector.co.uk/

Any views on them?

 

[johnalison]

A few years back one of the mags did a comparative test on different types of protector and only the kind with teeth or claws seemed to have any effect. It might be interesting to know if things have changed, but I doubt it.

The ideal solution would be a float attached to the pot with a programmable mechanism for releasing itself after a set interval so that the "fisherman" can gather all his pots withing a short time. This after all is the 21st century.

 

[charliespan]

After catching some line coming into Brighton Marina (a tale in itself !) I bought the Ambassador Stripper and its worked OK so far on the rubbish-strewn Thames.
I did look at other types and read reviews but as has been said, the aggressive saw-toothed versions seem to come out best.
2p.

http://www.ropestripper.com/

 

[Ariadne]

I rest my case your honor - I'm surrounded by F**kng idiots!

Have ever tried to ask the local fishermen then? Most will be happy to help to avoid damage to their gear - its their livelihood not yours. Try going down the dock one morning before they set off or when they land, not every morning but if you approach with the right attitude you get the infoyou want. Not specific marks, but at leas the area they are working. What els do you need?

Most of you have pre-conceived ideas about fishermen and are pre-occupied with fisherman hatred that you can't/won't see the simple way out.

I'm out of here now as I'm wasting my time.

 

[alorwin]

?

Easy being nasty in real life if a fisherman ! 'Go up and ask them where their pots ( let me explain very slowly, we mean pot marker buoys, but thought that would be patronising to explain every time ) - are ?

You'd either get ignored or a mouthful of abuse, and they would VERY likely keep the positions secret - from their alleged chums, hence the use of salt blocks to keep buoys hidden until a set time - or if not GPS they wouldn't be able to tell even if they wanted to.

A good lookout does not work terribly well in rough seas, at night or if the buoy is dragged underwater by the current.

If people leave items which are dangerous to navigation in narrow channels, they deserve to lose their gear and go back to the higher moral ground, like mugging old ladies.

'Professionals of the sea' ? I have sailed WITH them, and I can completely and honestly say, B*****CKS !

Right, that still won't get through as Darwin has patently failed already, so I am off now.

???

 

[alorwin]

I rest my case your honor - I'm surrounded by F**kng idiots!

Have ever tried to ask the local fishermen then? Most will be happy to help to avoid damage to their gear - its their livelihood not yours. Try going down the dock one morning before they set off or when they land, not every morning but if you approach with the right attitude you get the infoyou want. Not specific marks, but at leas the area they are working. What els do you need?

Most of you have pre-conceived ideas about fishermen and are pre-occupied with fisherman hatred that you can't/won't see the simple way out.

I'm out of here now as I'm wasting my time.

With you on this one, I do happen to know some fu-ck-ng idiots with far more sense than SOME of the uneducated fools posting on this subject though. But you are right, a complete waste of time trying to communicate with some of them. I too have never run over my own static gear nor had anyone else run over it but I would do if I used the the marker system that some of these fools insist all fishermen use ,,,, total winkers some of these . Cant stop to argue with the motor mouths just yet, got to go lift my pots and shoot some nets