Here you see an unusual scene at Naskeag Harbor on Thursday: Dark lobster traps containing large orange poly buoys being trailered at a peak time in the season.
With help from a seasoned fishing vessel captain and a little research, I think I know what was going on. That apparently was equipment for the annual Maine Department of Marine Resources (DMR) “Ventless Trap Survey.”
Since 2006, DMR has been collaborating with fishermen who bid to participate in a summer survey of juvenile lobsters. Among the goals is to obtain quality data on the size and condition of the youngsters in order to help DMR manage the lobster fishery most effectively. They usually collect on two days a month in June through August.
Unlike commercial traps, which have vents on them to allow the little lobsters to escape, the DMR study traps are ventless and capture more youngsters. DMR staff members are on the private fishing vessels and inspect, measure, and throw all the lobsters that are caught back into the water, according to reports. (Images taken in Brooklin, Maine, on August 17, 2023).