Now that that is cleared up, I'll flip sides! While I've generally been a
strong supporter of the Down East fishing communities, in recent years the
number of lobster pots has increased dramatically. I've heard people being
frustrated by traps in the Chesapeake, where you hardly ever see two within 100
feet; in some parts of Maine (Stonington and Tenants Harbors stand out) there
are fields that have one every 10 feet. One's sympathies start to diminish when
you're trying to maneuver through that. Remember that Down East pots have a
toggle - a second float connected to the first with a 20 foot line that lurks
below the surface, usually down current from the pot. Fortunately my catamaran
can be powered on one engine - its impossible to survive such field with both
engines running.

The other issue I have is with pots in the inner areas of commercial harbors or
marinas. In the old days, when Boston Harbor has heavily polluted I used to
watch local lobster boats pull up to the dock at Bay State Lobster. However, if
you went in the front door, you were told that all the lobster were from Maine!

And I can't for the life of me fathom why someone would put a trap in a marina
fairway!

-jeff




"Roy G. Biv" wrote in message
om...
"Jeff Morris" wrote in message...
I missed the beginning of this ... did you change the subject?

I introduced this as a new thread to RBC (from a E-mail list)

Why would someone think its illegal to put a trap in a channel?

I don't know !

Is this one of those "it makes sense to me" laws?

I posted the comments here to prompt discussion among this
geographically diverse group to see if anyone agreed with SailorP, I
thought there might be a local/regional (freshwater or rivers??)
perspective to SailorP's comments with which I am not familiar . . .

Here in New England moving someone's Lobsta Trap would qualify for a Darwin
Award!

Here in the Keys too!


"Roy G. Biv" wrote in message
om...
I respectfully disagree,
if you move a trap the fisherman may not be able to find it- in a
nutshell you have stolen the trap and are a thief !

SAILORP wrote:
It is absolutely not a felony
to move a trap out of a navigable waterway.
However, you may need a license to keep the lobsters.

-------------------------------------------

Sorry Pete-- pulling traps as you describe is a Felony -- viewed the
same as stealing money directly from someone bank account !

SAILORP wrote:
It is illegal to place lobster
traps in marked channels, canals and
navigable waterways. Feel free to to pull such the traps and take the
lobsters for yourself if some idiot has placed a trap where you're in
jeopardy of a prop wrap!.