2019 Crab Regs - Two Escape Rings

BananasQ

Member
Just reviewing the regs - noticed for crabbing:

"Crab traps are required to have two unobstructed circular escape holes or rings, measuring a minimum of 105 mm in diameter."

Guess that means the Jolly Good trap (one central access on top, no escape ring) http://www.jollygoodtrap.com/home2.html is no longer compliant, as well as any other traps with just a single escape ring; or am I reading that wrong?
 
Just reviewing the regs - noticed for crabbing:

"Crab traps are required to have two unobstructed circular escape holes or rings, measuring a minimum of 105 mm in diameter."

Guess that means the Jolly Good trap (one central access on top, no escape ring) http://www.jollygoodtrap.com/home2.html is no longer compliant, as well as any other traps with just a single escape ring; or am I reading that wrong?
Correct, that trap will not comply unless you place a 105mm escape ring in it. I understand that there will be some light enforcement in year 1 of this change, meaning more focus on education and awareness than actual enforcement in order to work with people to retro-fit their traps. Most commercially sold traps comply now. I heard some of the manufacturers are planning to bring out retro kits to help people to adapt their non-compliant traps.
 
You know, I'm all for regs that have a practical application - i.e size limits, barbless etc but this one doesn't pass the smell test. I'm willing to bet the average sporty is like me and doesn't leave traps out for extended periods (hell rarely overnight) and I already release the small ones - so what purpose could those rings actually serve?
This is one "rule" that I have absolutely no intention of following.
 
You know, I'm all for regs that have a practical application - i.e size limits, barbless etc but this one doesn't pass the smell test. I'm willing to bet the average sporty is like me and doesn't leave traps out for extended periods (hell rarely overnight) and I already release the small ones - so what purpose could those rings actually serve?
This is one "rule" that I have absolutely no intention of following.
It’s for if your line got snapped and your trap is lost to the bottom. Permanent timeframe
 
Riiiight, but there is already a requirement for a degradable string closure to achieve the same thing
 
I guess all those vinyl coated traps won't last very long once we have to cut out circles. They should at least grandfather traps people have already bought.
 
I have some old, large, heavy, commercial traps with the ring holes in them. I hope the holes are at least the 105mm and I will have to check. As I understand it, the holes in our traps are not intended for the escape of all crabs in the event of the trap being lost. That is what the rot cord on the lid is for.

Having the holes does have its advantages in that they allow the smaller ones and especially females (a little under the legal size limit) to escape. This means that if you have your trap down for a few days, your bait last longer and there is more room for the large keeper males in the trap. Our record for legal keepers in one trap is 18 and when you are getting good numbers on rare occasion, having that space in the trap helps. I have found that if the trap is down for a few days that having the escape rings for the smaller ones is also good conservation in that they are the ones most likely, on rare occasion, to be cannibalized by the extra large males.
 
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Just reviewing the regs - noticed for crabbing:

"Crab traps are required to have two unobstructed circular escape holes or rings, measuring a minimum of 105 mm in diameter."

Guess that means the Jolly Good trap (one central access on top, no escape ring) http://www.jollygoodtrap.com/home2.html is no longer compliant, as well as any other traps with just a single escape ring; or am I reading that wrong?

I would just fish that trap in "shrimp" mode. :)
 
I guess all those vinyl coated traps won't last very long once we have to cut out circles. They should at least grandfather traps people have already bought.

If its quality wire like aquamesh and not the made in china wire it wont bother it.
 
So, have any of you looked at the new requirements effective this year?
Have any of you fixed your old traps or bought a new one?
 
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I got a new cheapo one for Christmas from Cabella's. It looks like it will be tricky to grind the welds off the second circle without cutting through the 4 square corners to which the circle is attached. Then I would re-attach the circle with rot cord.
Maybe a dremel instead of a grinding wheel??
 
It's attitudes like I read here on this thread that give the Public Fishery a bad name. Good thing for increased enforcement coming this year, because you will need to replace your traps after they are confiscated. We asked for an education and awareness approach this season during the transition, now I see that was a mistake.
 
Have they banned the sale of the now illegal traps? No excuse not to and it would sure speed up the transition. I’m amazed that illegal traps are still for sale from some of the major suppliers, was there a time limit put on continued sales. If not,I guess DFO doesn’t want them to take a loss on their inventory, better to pass it on to the consumer?
 
again though, aside from "because I said so", or "because it's the law" ( neither of which hold much interest to me) - ive yet to hear a convincing argument for these changes- there is already a requirement to put back the small ones, so this just duplicates things- and if it's because they don't think people are doing that, then it's an enforcement issue- in which case deal with that, not create a whole new set of rules.
 
I got a new cheapo one for Christmas from Cabella's. It looks like it will be tricky to grind the welds off the second circle without cutting through the 4 square corners to which the circle is attached. Then I would re-attach the circle with rot cord.
Maybe a dremel instead of a grinding wheel??

re-thunk this.
I'll just destroy the circle, leaving the 4 corners intact with remnants of circle still welded to them., then tie a new circle on with rot cord.
I'll bend a stainless welding rod to the correct diameter.
Probably take 90 seconds once I find the bits, which could take a long time since I'll find long lost crap and get sidetracked.
 
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Have they banned the sale of the now illegal traps? No excuse not to and it would sure speed up the transition. I’m amazed that illegal traps are still for sale from some of the major suppliers
Jolly Goods were being sold in spades at the Sidney Boat Show today. I forgot about these new regs while I was chatting with the lady behind the desk.
 
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