the 2-day sport lobstering season in florida is bad

[chris_h]

For the last few summers I have went down to florida to catch lobsters during the 2-day sport season.

For those of you that dont know, I will tell you how lobsters are caught. First you find a coral head with an opening at the bottom. Then you take a metal rod and scare it out from underneath. Then you net the lobster.

THe problem is most people are lazy. They just flip the coral head upside down and net the lobsters. I always spend the day after lobster season putting coral heads back right side up and I never run out of flipped corals. There are hundreds of 2-6 foot coral head upside down. It makes me mad people can be that stupid.

They should make it against the law to catch lobsters with nets. The amount of corals killed in 2 days could probaly supply the hobby with corals for a year.

 

[cgbexec]

chris_h,

I too am a coral head flipper during the mini season. And yes most people are that stupid. Years ago you could spear lobster, but now you have to catch them intact. That means netting or grabbing by hand. In the Bahamas you can still spear them. The laws concerning Fl. lobster are stupid in general. There are a lot of things that could be done to increse their populations and decrease the destruction done by the sport harvasters, but the fishing industry lobby is a strong one.

 

[esmithiii]

Yeah, but lobster tastes good...Mmmmm....

 

[bowfront]

Chris, unfortunately one of biggest problems with the mini lobster season is the large number of relatively inexperienced divers that come from all over the US to catch a few lobster. Many locals in the Keys shutter each year as the season approaches just because of the onslaught of tourists that often could care less about damaging the reefs.

I've been diving here in FL for over 20 years and at that time of year I stay from Miami north just to avoid the circus down in the Keys. Besides the daily limit per person north of Monroe county during the mini season is double what it is in the Keys and there are plenty of lobster if you know where to go.

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They should make it against the law to catch lobsters with nets. The amount of corals killed in 2 days could probaly supply the hobby with corals for a year.

What do nets have to do with flipping coral heads?

 

[chris_h]

When lobsters are caught using traps the corals are not harmed.