Day Twenty-Two – Lobsta’ Fishin’

While sitting on the bank of the Atlantic Ocean, we perused flyers and visitor information magazines we had picked up. One flyer in particular caught our eye. A two-hour trip with a lobster fisherman while he pulled his lobster pots. Better yet, the excursion left from the port of Ogunquit which was just a short distance up the coast from us.



The following day with a calm ocean under a blue sky we boarded the boat to go “Lobsta’ Fishin” (the new England accent was pretty pronounced in parts of Maine). Our captain has a string of pots just offshore from the port. While we cruised to pick the first pot, we learned that lobster fisherman can have up to 80 pots out. They alternate picking some pots while others are soaking.


The lobster fishery is highly regulated. Each of the feisty lobster caught in the pots were carefully measured to determine if it could be kept or if it had to return to the ocean. In Maine, the carapace (back) has to be between 3 ¼” and 5” in order to be a “keeper”. Those lobster were not happy to be pulled from the pots. They flipped up their tails and snapped those large pinchers when the captain grabbed them.


In the second pot that was pulled there was a female “egger” (one with fertilized eggs). You can see the eggs in the photo – the black mass attached to her swimmerets. Females carry the eggs 9 – 12 months before they hatch into larvae. In order to sustain the lobster population, you cannot keep an egger. So, back into the sea she went.

As additional pots were pulled, we learned about the bait the fishermen use. Also, it was interesting to find out that getting a commercial lobster license required a minimum of 1,000 hours over the course of at least 200 fishing days assisting a current lobsta’ man. And, in an effort to reduce the strain on the fishery, the state only issues a new license when an existing one is surrendered, either voluntarily or when the fisherman passes. Those that apply for a license are put on a “wait list” and it then takes years to get a license.


We thoroughly enjoyed our experience lobsta’ fishin’ and have a greater appreciation for the effort required to bring those tasty creatures to our plates!

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