Crab Trap Recovery Question

[Captain PartyMarty]

Hey Guy's

I have a question about crab traps! In terms of the regulations is it allowed to fish crab traps without a floater buoy and line? For example if somebody wanted to could he toss his traps overboard with out any line at all and return later and send a buddy down with diving equipment to recover the traps?

 

[scott craven]

No, all traps must be marked by a floating buoy with owners name and phone number.

from the regs.

"If fishing in open waters, all shellfish trap/ring buoys must be clearly marked with the name of the person fishing the gear (the fisher’s name must be printed in solid black, capital letters at least 75 mm high). Only one name can appear on the float or buoy. It is recommended that you include your phone number. All single traps must be marked with a buoy."

 

[gungadin]

Well, if you are having a problem with theft, or just want to dive for them, attach your float to the traps as per the regulations with 30ft of weighted line, and throw it into 60 ft of water. Mark the position on your GPS. Just to be sure that your trap wont move weigh it down with some rebar.

 

[seadna]

Well, if you are having a problem with theft, or just want to dive for them, attach your float to the traps as per the regulations with 30ft of weighted line, and throw it into 60 ft of water. Mark the position on your GPS. Just to be sure that your trap wont move weigh it down with some rebar.

That would be lovely for those trolling for salmon in the area - NOT! The reason for the visible buoy is so that the rest of us can avoid it.

 

[uclueletcharters]

The only thing I have ever thought of that would be legal is to weight your trap down with a couple 10 to 15lb lead weights and have the top 30 plus feet 175lb test synthetic downrigger line to your marker. Of course you would require a puller on your end. I don't think many trap thiefs would pick yours out of the heep if they had to have that line digging in there hands. But I know the feeling when I was a kid I prawned and crabbed a lot off Thetis and Tent Island and thieving was a real problem had to hang around your traps the whole time. I never tried my suggested method but I always thought that it would be a real deterent.

 

[drpower]

Just put RCMP as your name

 

[profisher]

Use commercial looking floats not the crappy tire ones that say here is a light on to pull up. I started making mine look like my float would be attached to a heavy string of 5 or 6 commercial traps and the theft ended.

 

[gungadin]

Well OK, don't use 30 ft of line in 60ft of water, use 5ft.

 

[Captain PartyMarty]

I guess the real question is does you float need to be on the surface. The real reason I am asking is I designed a way of recovering my crap traps without a using a line. Which has the advantage of my stuff not getting stolen and I have a lot more room on my boat. I just need to figure out if it's legal to use.

 

[drpower]

grey area..... you're using a float as specified. Don't cause a navigational hazard, or make death traps for crabs by not being able to find and recover the traps, (don't lose them) I can't find any reason why this wouldn't be allowed, or how a DFO officer would be able to fine you for traps they can't see in the first place.

 

[Fisher Down]

I guess the real question is does you float need to be on the surface. The real reason I am asking is I designed a way of recovering my crap traps without a using a line. Which has the advantage of my stuff not getting stolen and I have a lot more room on my boat. I just need to figure out if it's legal to use.

Just an idea... how about asking DFO?

F D

 

[bigsbee]

Hey Guy's

I have a question about crab traps! In terms of the regulations is it allowed to fish crab traps without a floater buoy and line? For example if somebody wanted to could he toss his traps overboard with out any line at all and return later and send a buddy down with diving equipment to recover the traps?

Why would you use traps at all if you have a buddy that dives? I dove for years crabbing and just picked out the big ones. Easy to do in an area with crabs then we would head out with the rest of our air to get scallops.