For one thing, if you have never been to a Maine lobster fishing shore, you might not have even known that lobsters were caught in traps. But, you probably did, since it’s pretty common knowledge that commercial fishing is done with traps, nets, etc.
But, did you know that lobster traps have escape routes? “Why?” you might ask. Well, legally, only lobsters of a certain size can be caught and kept, so, the escape hatch allows undersized lobsters to leave and grow to be of legal catching size.
Did you know that lobster traps can weigh from 30 to 40 pounds? Surprisingly enough, they are composed of enough plastic-covered wire to be of pretty substantial size. Of course, they weigh a lot more after having caught the lobster!
But, each trap also features some things that, maybe no one except the specific fisherman knows. Each fisherman has his own preferences and secrets as far as what makes a trap the best. So, it takes years of experience to know how to get the most lobster per drop.
The next time you dig into a delicious lobster dinner, make sure to remember the hard work that went into catching it. Our fishermen are literally the backbone of the industry, and their years of experience make it so that we can continue to offer great fresh lobster on a daily basis!
