52 



ABOUT LOBSTERS 



Fig. 11. The Dutch pot 



men use a pot (Figure 11) 

 made of galvanized iron wire 

 on a framework of metal, and 

 this seems to fish successfully. 

 The Orkney fishermen do not 

 appear to be at any disadvan- 

 tage from the use of iron hoops 

 and from the galvanized wire 

 used to form the ring of the 

 eye and eye-shutter. 



Care of Pots 



Marine borers. The in- 

 roads of marine borers are a 

 serious problem to lobstermen, 

 for it is possible that the wood in a pot may be eaten away in 

 less than one season. It is a curse of increasing importance, 

 and would indicate that these borers are moving into north- 

 ern waters. 



A fisherman of Frenchboro (where the ravages were 

 particularly bad ) " found that new traps set off in February 

 1950 were completely riddled by the last of April." 



The actual damage to the lobster pot laths appeared to 

 vary. In all probability, this variation was caused by the 

 length of time that the traps had been used. In the tested 

 traps the laths were so completely riddled that only a thin 

 shell of wood fiber held them together. It was impossible to 

 pick up the trap by means of the laths. Squeezing the laths 

 in one's hand produced much the same effect as squeezing 

 a water-soaked sponge. 



Although Long Island fishermen were using spruce 

 laths with oak runners, some of them reported that oak did 

 not seem to be any more resistant to the borer than did 

 spruce. It was observed that the oak runners were badly 

 riddled, although perhaps due to their greater volume, they 

 were still in more serviceable condition than were the spruce 



