Lobstering In Maine

Here is what I did on my summer vacation: hauled lobster traps!



Well, actually, I hung out at the back of the boat while BF's dad and brother hauled the traps. They are the experts. I loved watching them working together. Great team!



A lot goes into setting the traps, finding the best locations to drop the traps (lobsters are bottom feeders, so your traps need to be where they will crawl into them on the ocean floor), hauling the traps and making sure only the legal lobsters are kept.



There are strict rules in place to make sure the lobster population stays healthy: undersized or oversized lobsters and breeders (lobsters found with eggs and/or a notch on their tail from previous catches) must be put back into the ocean.



Many people rely on fishing and lobstering in Maine as a livelihood and to feed their families. They do what they can to preserve this vibrant and often rigorous way of living. I get a sense of why they do it. There is nothing quite like the feeling of being on the ocean.



With non-commercial lobster licenses, BF's dad and brother are allowed to put in 10 traps (five traps each). This results in a haul just large enough for the family. What a feast! Steamed lobsters, corn on the cob, salad fresh from BF's sister's garden. Mmmmm, mmmm, good!

Cheers!--Janyce