Do you take the Lobsters

[Mark Cowgill]

Ok just wondered what the feeling was about taking Crab and Lobster while diving.
My view is, why not providing they are of the correct size and you only take one, we seem to have a section in our club who are totaly against it and would rather go to the local shop and pay £12 for a Lobster when they have just been making friends with one earlier in the day:confused: .
I am not talking about taking out of pots so dont misunderstand me that is something we would never do. The argument seems to be that we are not giving them a fighting chance, yea right, and climing into a baited pot is a fighting chance,dont think so. Personaly I have never taken anything but I would if I could catch one.
Lets here what you think and if there is a valid argument I will be more than willing to be converted.

Mark

[John_C]

I too have never taken one, but I've been very tempted on many an occation. However, I'm of the school of though which says 'dont take em'. For me a big part of the dive is being able to see a good veriety of life under the sea. So I choose to leave it alone so others can see it another day. :D

Now if we were talking about a bit of spidge!...... well thats a whole new topic...! :rolleyes:

[Paul Beal]

I used to take lobsters occasionally but then we bought a red-clawed crayfish for a fresh water fish tank (such a dude!!) and could never take one now.

Paul

[Mark Cowgill]

Go on then whats a spidge John ( he shows his ignorance )

[Ben Panter]

Spidge is the generic term for bits and pieces that are lifted from wrecks. Generally small and metallic, tend to be passed from diver to diver on the boat and then chucked over board again on the way home. Alternatively taken home to sit in the shed and rust for a while before being chucked out. Very occasionally cleaned up and put on display.

I'm not really up for it myself, I'd rather see it on the sea bed. Several wrecks that I've dived have been systematically stripped of everything interesting, which is a pity... esp. as the vast majority of what is lifted is never cleaned up. Slightly controversial, as anything lifted from a wreck should be reported to the Reciever of Wrecks, but I don't know many that bother.

Ben

[Mark Cowgill]

Spidge is the generic term for bits and pieces that are lifted from wrecks. Generally small and metallic, tend to be passed from diver to diver on the boat and then chucked over board again on the way home. Alternatively taken home to sit in the shed and rust for a while before being chucked out. Very occasionally cleaned up and put on display.

I'm not really up for it myself, I'd rather see it on the sea bed. Several wrecks that I've dived have been systematically stripped of everything interesting, which is a pity... esp. as the vast majority of what is lifted is never cleaned up. Slightly controversial, as anything lifted from a wreck should be reported to the Reciever of Wrecks, but I don't know many that bother.

Ben

Thanks Ben I was just about to get my Rick Stien out and see if you could have Spidge with a water cress salad:)

[Adrian Kelland]

I have been known to partake a lobstercide from time to time.

Failures by dint of eggs, size, soft shell and cowardice far outweigh the successes. Neither do I catch mutch stuff on a Sunday as it is too much faff to be doing late in the evening.

Biggest crab was 6.5lb. Lovely. Also lets a fewer of the smaller ones survive. Although I find that many on sale in the local supermarkets appear to be much samller than the local minimum size regs.

Can't beat a fresh scallop though. :)

Adrian

[Ben Panter]

I'm not really against taking lobsters per se, but don't think I could do one justice - I'm not really that keen on the texture of the meat. Ditto crabs and octopii. Probably just take pictures of them, but I certainly wouldn't make an issue of it if someone brought one up on a boat I was using as long as we weren't in a reserve.

Having said that, big shrimps, nephros, scallops... they taste wonderful and I've no worries about bagging a few for eating on the beach at the end of the day. And mackrel, fresh off the line and fried, must be about my favourite food. The only time I get a bit sniffy about it is when they get brought up then wasted - seems pretty pointless.

Ben

[Alan Ewart]

yep, I frequently take a couple of crabs or lobbies.

However, they go back if they are small, soft shelled or in berry.

I am also in agreement with Adrian, I would sooner have a dozen scollops any day :D

[Mark Cowgill]

I used to take lobsters occasionally but then we bought a red-clawed crayfish for a fresh water fish tank (such a dude!!) and could never take one now.

Paul

The same could be said for someones pet cow called Daisy. The question is, even though you dont take them anymore do you go to your local Loch Fynne and order Lobster Thermador. come on now be honest.;)

[Neil R]

Hi all,
In snorkelling we teach look but don't touch and thats a view i hold to . There nice to go and look at, but if they get caught in a lobsterpot then so be it .

Ps i've never eaten crab or lobster .

[Chris aka divingchef]

Ok just wondered what the feeling was about taking Crab and Lobster while diving.
My view is, why not providing they are of the correct size and you only take one, we seem to have a section in our club who are totaly against it and would rather go to the local shop and pay £12 for a Lobster when they have just been making friends with one earlier in the day:confused: .
I am not talking about taking out of pots so dont misunderstand me that is something we would never do. The argument seems to be that we are not giving them a fighting chance, yea right, and climing into a baited pot is a fighting chance,dont think so. Personaly I have never taken anything but I would if I could catch one.
Lets here what you think and if there is a valid argument I will be more than willing to be converted.

Mark

I miss taking the ocasional lobby, scallops etc
Over here is't verboten !! big fine and enviromental health get you for handling un-clean shellfish !:eek:
Back in the UK only harvested for personel use and neaver for work,,,,although on many occasions clients have asked.

[Nigel Hewitt]

I don't take crabs, lobsters, scallops, fish...
In fact I don't eat sea-food.
I know the sea is polluted.

I can often be found hanging over the side of a dive boat polluting it.
I have a very silly hobby for somebody who gets seasick so easily.

[Luke K]

Ps i've never eaten crab or lobster .

Neil your missing a treat, give some fresh lobster a try next time you can :rolleyes:

Luke

[PeteM]

Lets think:

1) diver takes something for the pot - takes just what he needs, makes sure underwater that it is suitable for catching (sufficient size, not berried, hard shell etc.), takes it home and cooks it the same day so no chance of it spoiling, can only take something if there is sufficient quantity of them about to find some.

2) Commercial fishing, with by catch, non target species being caught and killed, ghost nets and pots killing things for years, wastage on the boat, wastage at market, wastage in transport and wastage in Sainsbury's, environmental distruction during catching

So which is the most ecologically friendly?

As it happens I don't take for the pot except for the occasional few scallops (about once a year on average).

[Luke K]

I very much think it's fair game, If they put up a good fight then I will let them go as they have attitude, survival of the fittest and all.

however on a side note, If you happen to send up your spidge and a lobster 'accidentally' gets caught in a net bag in the process is it fair to send it to a big pot once reaching shore to remedy it's bend.......

bubble bubble bubble........

hiss......

Burp.....

:rolleyes:

Luke

[Luke K]

Just spotted these on the Gallery section of the forum :D

http://gallery.bsacforum.co.uk/showphoto.php?photo=63&cat=513

http://gallery.bsacforum.co.uk/showphoto.php?photo=64&cat=513

Having said that I do disagree with raiding the lobster pots, mainly for fear of one's life should the fishermen ever catch you......

Luke

[Chris aka divingchef]

I don't take crabs, lobsters, scallops, fish...
In fact I don't eat sea-food.
I know the sea is polluted.

I can often be found hanging over the side of a dive boat polluting it.
I have a very silly hobby for somebody who gets seasick so easily.


Thanks for feeding them !:D

[Janos]

I go with what the feller said from the Marine Conservation Society, and never catch more then I'm going to eat that day.

Diver caught fish is the most environmentally type of fishing. The only thing that dies is the thing that's eaten.

If you're going to give up one thing, give up prawns and dredged scallops [1] the amount of bycatch is unbelievable.

The marine conservarion society have also produced a guide to which fish you should and shouldn't eat. It's here: Eat (http://www.fishonline.org/advice/eat/) and here: Don't eat (http://www.fishonline.org/advice/avoid/)

Janos

[1] Diver caught scallops are fine.

[Nick Argue]

I vote yes, subject to size contraints etc. Mind you I'd throw back what you see on sale in Tescos, way too small.

I'm in the North Sea tomorrow, ever hopefully of catching tea.

Nick

[PeteM]

[1] Diver caught scallops are fine.

But bl**dy expensive unless you or a mate is the diver

[NZ_Diver]

We take crayfish (rock lobster) here (New Zealand) when we are diving, we are aloud 6 per person per day, however you are not aloud to spear them but you can use a cray loop to catch them, they can't be taken if they have eggs, soft shells or undersized.

Males 54mm tail width
Females 60mm tail width

We also have alot of marine reserves around new zealand where you are not aloud to touch a thing, not even to take a Kina (sea egg) and feed the fish with it. So if you want to see alot of fish etc then dive in a marine reserve, and if your hungry, dive outside the reserves.I don't see the problem with taking anything aslong as it's within the rules and regulations of the area. I also see diving as a way of hunting and collecting food for yourself, family and freinds. I could however see a problem with catching them if you were to sell them off for finacial gain.

My 2c's

[STEVE MC]

Yes I take lobsters,scollaps and crabs but ONLY for myself and never more than I need. When divers collect them we dont trawl the seabed with large nets destroying sealife as we go do we so I dont understand the arguement about going to Tesco or wherever to buy them. If you dive and like shellfish etc take 'em

[Finless]

Never taken a lobster 'cause they are too hard and mean ....... and fast.

I have taken the odd spider crab and scallops (for a friend) and my hand caught plaice is my 'piece de resistance'.

I rarely take anything as I don't like sea food so, unless I know I am seeing my mate on the way home from a dive ..........

It is a fact of life that, looking at the broad scheme of things, I get hungry and animals are tasty.

[howard lewis]

Be carefull if they have a V on their tail you can have your boat confiscated down with us and a £1,000 fine!! Other than that I have eaten them for years the only thing that stops me at the moment is they are high in cholesterol.:p

[Finless]

Be carefull if they have a V on their tail you can have your boat confiscated down with us and a £1,000 fine!! :p


:confused:

[Adrian Kelland]

:confused:
Some kind of species growth progamme I think Bryan. The tails of females are marked with a V notch. Not sure if this survives or gets smaller in a moult though.

http://www.swsfc.org.uk/vnotching3.htm

Adrian

[Finless]

Some kind of species growth progamme I think Bryan. The tails of females are marked with a V notch. Not sure if this survives or gets smaller in a moult though.

http://www.swsfc.org.uk/vnotching3.htm

Adrian

Ah! Comprehension! Thank you.

[Martyn Ward]

We take crayfish (rock lobster) here (New Zealand) when we are diving,


Considering you people killed Captain Cook, that's no great surprise :D

[Andy Wade]

Considering you people killed Captain Cook, that's no great surprise :D

LOL!
No they didn't:
Captain Cook website (http://www.captaincook.org.uk/history/index.php)

[Mike Halligan]

Considering you people killed Captain Cook, that's no great surprise :D

No they didn't. However, their main harbour was attacked by the French and a peaceful unarmed vessel deliberately sunk - only 20 years ago. :eek:

[Andy Wade]

No they didn't. However, their main harbour was attacked by the French and a peaceful unarmed vessel deliberately sunk - only 20 years ago. :eek:

20 years?
Sheesh.

[Mike Halligan]

Yep! 10/07/85, another fine heroic act of French military might and our brave Government stood idly by whilst the murderers were shipped back from prison to serve their "time" at home.

So much for our promised fidelity to the memory of brave Kiwi warriors who laid down their lives (twice) for the French.

[Andy Wade]

Yep! 10/07/85, another fine heroic act of French military might and our brave Government stood idly by whilst the murderers were shipped back from prison to serve their "time" at home.

So much for our promised fidelity to the memory of brave Kiwi warriors who laid down their lives (twice) for the French.

I know, we're currently doing the NZ graves for the British War Memorial Project (http://www.britishwargraves.org.uk/) at the moment. We photographed rather a lot at some of the Somme Battlefield cemeteries in May of this year.

[muldonach]

I can honestly say I left all the ones I couldn't catch;)

[Jon H]

I saw my first sea lobster today. Two was in a pot and i saw one under a rock. I wouldn't take one like. First how would you take one? pick it up and walk out? try holding a crab it just runs of your hand and runs sideways away from you. Btw i have never had a lobster.

[IainC]

The marine conservarion society have also produced a guide to which fish you should and shouldn't eat. It's here: Eat and here: Don't eat

Janos


Useful little guide, Thanks.

Lobsters aren't on either list though, so must be bad, but not really bad, or something.

I'm not a great fan of crab, lobster etc to eat and I think they look terribly sad sat in a bucket on the way home, so I don't take.

Others in my club violently object to taking anyhting, some think a few lobsters or scallops for dinner is the whole point of a second dive.

As DO I have to balance these conflicts somehow :-)

As an aside, does anyone know what the legal minimum size (if any) is for edible crabs and lobsters is in the UK? I've sene some pretty tiny specimins at the supermarket fish counter lately and I'm tempted to measure up and cause a fuss.

Iain.

[PeteM]

As an aside, does anyone know what the legal minimum size (if any) is for edible crabs and lobsters is in the UK? I've sene some pretty tiny specimins at the supermarket fish counter lately and I'm tempted to measure up and cause a fuss.

4 inches for lobster (measured from nose to end of carapace) and 5 for edible crap (measured across the widest point of the carapace) but there are local variations

[Finless]

Others in my club violently object to taking anyhting, some think a few lobsters or scallops for dinner is the whole point of a second dive.

As DO I have to balance these conflicts somehow :-)



Just tell the grass munching tree huggers to PO? Even if your sympathies lie with them they MUST be the weedy ones in the club and the least likely to inflict pain upon you? :):):)

Of course, I have ignored the "verbal pain" that they may try to inflict but surely a brisk walk to the other end of the bar will leave them out of breath and unable to whinge for a goodly while?

Lastly, IF you have a BIG bucket on the boat in which to keep your lobbies then offer the "antis" an opportunity to get the lobbies out and free them - maybe a couple of friendly nips might change their minds? :):):)

Yes, I AM only joking!

[John T.]

I don't have a problem with anyone taking Lobbies, Crabs, Scallops or even a string of Muscles if they are big enough, for the table, do not have eggs and are hard shell.

As for the argument that they don't have a chance, I disagree and it seems strange the number of replies posted where we cannot catch them. I have had buddies holding goodie bags with great claws sticking out of the top when they have decided it isn’t worth the fight. Others who push themselves into ridiculously small holes to try and catch a little one. An interesting battle I witnessed was a small lobster in a tube, my buddy used the strange tactic of putting a gloved hand into the hole stirring op the silt (no vis) and then chasing the poor thing. In the end the lobbie managed to catch his diver by the thumb in his claw. After much pain, loads of bruising and a ruined set of gloves my buddie decided to let him go!!!!

So, in conclusion catching these things is not easy, can be painful and you need some skill to catch them (it took me a while to catch my first one). If we are worried about fish stocks, I hope to do that much diving to be worried about a not seeing them!!!

[Paul Oliver]

I have been known to take to odd Lobster :) But if its in berry or too small it goes back, unlike this one

http://i17.tinypic.com/6nw8774.jpg

My idea of too small is a lot larger than those i see going for £15 in local fishmarkets all the time :( most of them are just big prawns :(

This is a good size one with some very big claws i am bagging up off of the SS Unity :) as you can see quite easy to measure underwater:-

http://i19.tinypic.com/8epxq95.jpg

This is about the average size i take:-

http://i4.tinypic.com/6uorvoj.jpg

However 1 day i'll get the perfect size one like Chasey has here off of the Moldavia:-

http://i14.tinypic.com/86pycf5.jpg

[MattS]

However 1 day i'll get the perfect size one like Chasey has here off of the Moldavia:-I was taught in my novice lectures;
Diving is not a competitive sport :D

My mother always told me;
Don't play with your food :D :D

[Steve in Sharm]

So let me get this right in my own head - cos it doesn't seem to make sense:

1. If something 'unatural' is lying rusting/rotting on the bottom we must leave it there so that in a hundred years time there will be nothing for anyone to see.

2. We can go down and steal living things from their natural environment, and some people on here even see this as a type of sport! And coupled with the current 'raping' of the seas, in a few years time there will not be any lobsters for us to see.

"PERVERSE" is the word that springs to mind.

[Michael Purcell]

So let me get this right in my own head - cos it doesn't seem to make sense:

1. If something 'unatural' is lying rusting/rotting on the bottom we must leave it there so that in a hundred years time there will be nothing for anyone to see.

2. We can go down and steal living things from their natural environment, and some people on here even see this as a type of sport! And coupled with the current 'raping' of the seas, in a few years time there will not be any lobsters for us to see.

"PERVERSE" is the word that springs to mind.

Spoken by our local vegan I hope...

[Janos]

1. If something 'unatural' is lying rusting/rotting on the bottom we must leave it there so that in a hundred years time there will be nothing for anyone to see.

2. We can go down and steal living things from their natural environment, and some people on here even see this as a type of sport! And coupled with the current 'raping' of the seas, in a few years time there will not be any lobsters for us to see.

(2) Sounds about right. I'm not sure I agree with you about (1) though.

Janos, who rarely takes spidge (because most of it would look crap in my living room) or lobster (incompetance on my part).

[Steve in Sharm]

Spoken by our local vegan I hope...

Sort of...

My last ever dive in the UK before coming here was off Cornwall - 20m dip for 40 mins.

I saw 6, yep six, Six, SIX - as in 4 less than ten, fish in the whole dive.

After that I have never eaten fish again - its an unsustainable food source which will not only run out on us but the knock on effects on corals etc etc etc blah blah - you know where I'm going with this......

Regards

Steve

[Electricgahs]

Ok just wondered what the feeling was about taking Crab and Lobster while diving.
My view is, why not providing they are of the correct size and you only take one, we seem to have a section in our club who are totaly against it and would rather go to the local shop and pay £12 for a Lobster when they have just been making friends with one earlier in the day:confused: .
I am not talking about taking out of pots so dont misunderstand me that is something we would never do. The argument seems to be that we are not giving them a fighting chance, yea right, and climing into a baited pot is a fighting chance,dont think so. Personaly I have never taken anything but I would if I could catch one.
Lets here what you think and if there is a valid argument I will be more than willing to be converted.

Mark

I personally don't fish , but I eat fish....so, I would not mind catching the fish/lobster myself instead of going to the shop and pay more...but I WOULD KILL ONLY THE FISH I EAT ! Fair enough I believe...
By the way, I am going to Australia tonight and will go crayfish hunting with my brother in law ( with a big bottle of air on my back and a reg in my mouth ):rolleyes:

[Tony Dwyer]

No, I don't take Lobster or Crab and never have. Not because I disagree with taking one for the pot, but simply because I don't eat them. I find the taste very yucky!
I have taken Scallops, very tasty with butter & a little garlic, perhaps a shake of cayenne. :)

I have no problems with killing my own meat and have done so on many occasions, through a variety of methods.

I used to be an avid angler, my ancestry features Irish fishermen and I was taught to fish by my grandfather. I gave it up years ago. Why? Two reasons;

1. It's too damn easy. Freshwater fishing is a doddle. But, Sea fishing though staggeringly easy, became a problem as fish became very scarce.
2. I found that I liked to look at fish in their natural environment. This gave me insight into their behaviour, lo they are even easier to catch.

I like to eat fresh fish, but I do have a real problem with the fishing industry and I'm not too sure how to reconcile my feeelings.

I find the destruction of uncountable tons of imature fish completely unacceptable. This is the tons of immature fish that are caught, taken on board the fishing boats then thrown back, dead, into the sea because they are too small or the wrong species and may not be taken ashore.
Likewise I find the raping of the Sea bed by Scallop dredges to be beyond belief. How do the perpetrators sleep at night.

As for Salmon farms? Words fail me.

[Tony_W]

So, all that said, does anyone know of a good shore diving site for scallops in Devon/Dorset...

We're planning a x-mas eve/x-mas morning dive and a nice scallop and chorizo starter for crimbo lunch would be great ;)

[resting rifleman]

I have been known to partake a lobstercide from time to time.

Adrian

I seem to recall a looby partaking in some Adrianercide a season or two ago! :D
mike.

[Adrian Kelland]

I seem to recall a looby partaking in some Adrianercide a season or two ago! :D
mike.
It did try, and fair is fair.

I, however, am still around. It is not. :D

[Paul Oliver]

(2) Sounds about right. I'm not sure I agree with you about (1) though.

Janos, who rarely takes spidge (because most of it would look crap in my living room) or lobster (incompetance on my part).

Yes and i nearly drowned laughing at you after that one nipped you on HMS Prince Leopold :)

[Adrian Kelland]

So, all that said, does anyone know of a good shore diving site for scallops in Devon/Dorset...

We're planning a x-mas eve/x-mas morning dive and a nice scallop and chorizo starter for crimbo lunch would be great ;)
Brixham sometimes. Not always there. After a wood easterly storm they have been known to be waved ashore around Dawlish.

Firestone Bay also, but that is a deeper trickier dive.

However my freezer will have to do for now. :D

You going to be down the club on 21st?

Adrian

[Tony_W]

You going to be down the club on 21st?

Adrian

Would be rude not to stop in for a pint me thinks ;)

Can also top up the gas supply for a crimbo dive at the same time - perfick planning... :D

[NickMcV]

Ah, yes - but how fresh?
I was on a drift in Torbay and ended up over some flat mud - with nothing much to look at, I was getting bored - although my buddy was still enjoying himself so I amused myself by opening and eating one of the scallops I'd picked up earlier - absolutely gorgeous!