Crab Pot long lines

[Mr. Ray III]

[dang] thats far.  I got 100' between my crab pots on an underwater line.  I'll post a pic of my set up.

[jack1747]

[dang] thats far.  I got 100' between my crab pots on an underwater line.  I'll post a pic of my set up.

Please do... I been looking for info about strings of pots.  That might solve my poaching problem...

[Mr. Ray III]

Sucks without a winder.

[jack1747]

Time is not relevant when every day is Saturday.    Pain builds character. 

[dfran]

Please do... I been looking for info about strings of pots.  That might solve my poaching problem...

Are you having touble poaching Jack...........

[jack1747]

Yes. I am having poaching jack problems... 

[crabtracker]

well make him stand still.

[kcullip2006]

Yes. I am having poaching jack problems... 

[ACFISHERIES]

.

Nice setup, answered my ? about power block when you said you run trawls(underwater line).

[Chef Lar]

Yes. I am having poaching jack problems... 

Make sure the water just comes to a simmer and add a capful of vinegar. That should help your poaching problem. I know, shut up Larry.

[Fishbonzs]

.


Use these for your bouys

[tattoo]

 

[Mr. Ray III]

Jack, here is my rope can.  The PVC is cut at 2', depending on how many loops you have.  I have 15 because the way the trawls go, I cant work comfortably with another guy with more then 15 pots on the deck.  My pots are 100 feet apart.  As the pots come up they are unclipped and the loop goes over the stick.  Pretty simple. 

2' will hold about 30 loops, which is the average number of pots on an underwater line if you have a big enough boat.  I know of guys with small skiff that run it like a trotline and let the winder pull the boat along.  The pot comes up, they leave it clipped then drop it when they are done.  The good thing about an underwater line is that if your stacking it, and the owner comes up on you, your [arse] is grass.

[Fishbonzs]

Jack...I know in Potomac River that you can run crab pots on a long line.I'll post the regs later. In Maryland, I think you can too. In Va., I don't think you can. I called VMRC & they are getting back with I hope today.

Potomac River allowed us to do this in the fall due to Rec's trolling for rockfish. Line were getting tangled in the bouys.  Here's our regs.. rrr...Maybe yyou can post Md's.


Sec. 1(f) Crab Pot Longline

A method of fishing crab pots wherein individual crab pots are attached in a series to a single line that is marked on each end with a spar buoy.

Sec. 3 Display of Decal and Identification of Pots

a) Display of Decal. Before setting any crab pots, each licensee shall firmly attach his Potomac River Fishery Commission issued decal to the vessel named on the license. The decal must be displayed in a clearly visible position on the outside starboard side of the boat or vessel.


b) Identification of Pots. Licensees may set crab pots singularly or attached to a crab pot longline, or both. The marking requirements are as follows:

For singularly set pots - Each crab pot set singularly in the water shall be marked with a buoy easily visible on the surface which must legibly display the boat decal number herein provided in not less than one (1) inch numbers in contrasting color. All crab pot buoys with the same decal number must be painted alike and a sample buoy shall be displayed aboard the licensed vessel. Each buoy shall have only one Potomac River boat decal number displayed and all such buoys set in the Potomac shall be deemed to be crab pots.

For pots attached to a crab pot longline - Each longline shall be identified with a spar buoy that has an 18 inch square flag legibly displaying the letters "CP" and the decal number provided with the license in not less than 4 inch letters/numerals. The bottom of such flag shall be at least 4’ above the water.

Any crab pot or crab pot longline in the water not identified in this manner may be seized by the duly authorized enforcement officers and shall be subject to forfeiture.

Sec. 5(d) Crab Pot Longlines

Each longline shall contain no more than 30 crab pots and each line will be counted as 30 pots when determining compliance with the license limitation. Any licensee using crab pot longlines, will, at the direction of any authorized enforcement officer, pull the line for inspection. No longline shall be set in waters less than 30’ MLW, upstream of a line drawn from the Mouth of Bonum Creek and Piney Point, or between June 1st and September 30th each year.

[Fishbonzs]

Jack...FYI...You can not fish crab pots on a long line. Each pot must be marked C ####  or R ####

[Mr. Ray III]

George, Im not rrr on here.      I guess you space pots differently every time so the loops won't work.

This is all I could find.

(4) Buoys.

(a) Each pot individually set shall be marked with a buoy that is easily visible on the surface.

(b) Each string of pots shall be marked at each end with a buoy that is easily visible on the surface.

(c) Each buoy shall be clearly marked with the identification number of the licensee in letters at least 2 inches high, and, if the buoy is attached to a string of crab pots, with the number of pots in the string

[Fishbonzs]

Mr. Ray 3rd...Thanks for the info

[Mr. Ray III]

Alot of guys I know fly a black flag on the PVC at one end and a red one on the other.  I've even seen some flags that say "north end" just so people don't lay on top of them.

[ACFISHERIES]

Make sure the water just comes to a simmer and add a capful of vinegar. That should help your poaching problem. I know, shut up Larry.

Your avatar has been photoshopped. I know she don't lick spoons.

[jack1747]

Jack...FYI...You can not fish crab pots on a long line. Each pot must be marked C ####  or R ####

I can not find anything in the code that says we can or can't.  Gonna find out from Jack Travelstead..  I will post what I find out here. 

[Tom Powers]

Jack1747 asked that I respond to this.

Here is the Virginia Regulation.  It is pretty clear "on each floating buoy or stake attached to each such peeler pot, in a legible and visible manner." 

Every pot must have an individual buoy no stringing them together in state waters.

Tom

4 VAC 20-140-25. IDENTIFICATION OF CRAB POTS AND PEELER POTS.

A. Any person placing, setting, or fishing crab pots in Virginia waters, for which a commercial license is prescribed by law, shall display his Marine Resources Commission identification number, preceded by the letter “C,” on each floating buoy or stake attached to each such crab pot, in a legible and visible manner.

B. Any person placing, setting, or fishing peeler pots in Virginia waters, for which a commercial license is prescribed by law, shall display his Marine Resources Commission identification number, preceded by the letter “P,” on each floating buoy or stake attached to each such peeler pot, in a legible and visible manner.

C. Except as provided in subsection D of this section, it shall be unlawful for any person to place numbers or letters on any crab pot or peeler pot buoy or stake that is in addition to the identification requirement described in subsection A or B of this section.

D. Any person who is legally licensed to crab pot or peeler pot in North Carolina or the Potomac River may also display identification required by those jurisdictions on the buoys or stakes attached to those crab pots or peeler pots while placing, setting or fishing those crab pots or peeler pots in Virginia waters.

[R D]

Not very clear at all,I see nothing in there that says you can't long line pots as long as the end bouys have the required numbers on them.those two bouys are attached to "each pot"

[Tom Powers]

it says EACH buoy attached to EACH crab pot. . .

I know that we have talked about pot tagging programs in committee meetings and we have always talked about attaching them to buoys. . . one tag . . . one buoy . . . . one pot.

Here is the state code section.  Note that it says that a float shall be attached to EACH such crab pot or eel pot.  If it meant string of pots it would have to say each such pot or group of pots.

We will see what official word Jack gets from VMRC.

From an enforcement standpoint allowing strings of pots opens up a can of worms.  I can see it now stringing them across channels, or using to many pots on a string and hiding the fact by placing them in strings, not to mention the navigation hazard in shallow waters.

Tom

§ 28.2-712. Identification of crab pots and eel pots; penalty.

On and after January 1, 1993, any person owning or using a crab pot or eel pot, for whom a license is required by this subtitle, shall display and maintain an identification number, issued by the Commissioner, on the float or stake attached to each such crab pot or eel pot, in a legible and visible manner and in figures of not less than one inch in height. The identification of the owner of such crab pot or eel pot by the number above described shall not result in liability on its owner for its location so long as the crab pot or eel pot is placed in the waters of this Commonwealth in compliance with Virginia law.

[jack1747]

My thought is, IN VA, could I attach a float to a cinder block. Russ's idea to fool poacher. Then run a line to each of my 5 pots.  The poacher pulls up the bouy line to fine a old cinder block and drops it back.   

[Mr. Ray III]

If a poacher was to pull up a cinder block with a buoy attached, why wouldn't he cut it?  You need to go away with a buoy altogether cause anyone will see a rope tied to the cinder block.