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Lobstering is an Art

2007.07.05

Styrofoam floats are painted with different color combinations that are unique to every lobsterman identifying their traps.

"The pot is a vinyl-covered wire trap that catches and holds lobsters. They can be three- or four-feet-long and are a baited and set on the ocean floor. To every lobster trap marked buoys are also attached. This method is used for tracking and separating the lobster traps. Most lobstermen utilize uniquely decorated and colored buoy to mark the location of their traps. Lobster traps are required to have a 2 3/8 × 11½ inch-sized escape hole in it. This escape panel allows younger lobsters to escape the trap."

In Maine, lobsters can only be legally caught in lobster traps, also called pots.

Lobster traps are baited with herring or mackerel and are lowered to the sea floor with weights for different depths. (A brick is the weight in this trap)

"Lobster traps are cleaned several times a season: 1) by removing lobster traps from the local fishing area to shore where in two to four weeks organisms, seaweed, or barnacles, etc. die off; then the traps are transported by boat to be placed back in the fishing area site;

2) by manually scraping, which is archaic and extremely time consuming, for example, by up to ten minutes per lobster trap.

3. high pressure cleaners"

"Barnacles are crustaceans that have jointed legs and shells of connected overlapping plates."

Old rusted machinery—probably from a lobster boat.

Bass Harbor, ME

still-life

an open and shut case

At low tide you can walk under the wharf—lots of barnacles and a pungent aroma!

All these photos were taken in Bernard, ME and Bass Harbor ME. In Bernard I roved around a lobster pound taking pictures of both old and new lobster pots, as well as rusted equipment.
A lobsterman said, "We got plenty of old rusted machines here."
They also had lots of barnacles!

In Bass Harbor I explored the underside of the wharf and the shore—at low tide.

"The "Pot" or lobster trap, has two "heads," or openings. A lobster enters the trap to eat the bait, usually salted herring. The shape of the openings allow entry, but prevent the lobster from backing out. The first compartment is called the kitchen. Lobsters also can venture into the last compartment, called the parlor, leaving the kitchen open for another hungry lobster. Lobstermen can fish with 600 or 800 traps, depending on where on the coast they are located. Traps are set and hauled on a cycle of about three days."

(Enlarge some of the photos to see the details)

23 Comments

In a previous life, I fished lobster in New Brunswick, Canada.
We were allowed 400 traps and fished them every day. We set them in lines of 10 with a buoy at each end. Bait was rarely salt herring, usually leftovers from filleted fish like sole, redfish, etc.
Apparently they are fished a little differently in different areas.
Great pics and story, brings back memories.

blur911 · 2007-07-04: 19:43