Lobster trap

A lobster trap having at least two lobster feeding chambers separated from one another with no direct or indirect access from one lobster feeding chamber to the other(s), each lobster feeding chamber having a lobster trap head to the exterior of the lobster trap and a centrally disposed bait well accessible to each lobster feeding chamber, such lobster trap characterized by the lack of a parlor chamber.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The device of this invention resides in the field of lobster traps and more particularly relates to a lobster trap configuration having multiple feeding chambers and a central self-closing bait well and method of lobster trapping.

2. History of the Prior Art

Lobster fishing methods and traps have not substantially changed for more than 300 years. Traps used in colonial times were built in the same basic configuration as a modern trap. The only major changes have been in the shape of the trap from half-barrel shaped to rectangular and in the change from the use of wooden lathes to wire mesh construction. Traps suitable for lobstering are particularly designed to catch lobsters, and other types of traps are unsuitable for this purpose.

Lobster fisheries have continually increased catches for decades without a diminution of, or damage to, the breeding stock of the species. The reason behind this fact puzzled scientists until recently. Advances in optics and waterproofing of cameras have led to the scientific study of lobsters in their native habitat. “Lobster cams” can be found on the Internet, recording the actions of lobsters in and around lobster traps twenty-four hours a day. Such devices and studies have led to a better understanding of lobster feeding and activity patterns during both day and night.

Existing lobster traps were built on the assumption that most lobsters would enter the trap at night to feed but would be unable to find the exit. The trap would be hauled at a later date to collect lobsters unable to exit the trap. Modern studies, however, show that 96% of all lobsters which enter a trap do so during the day, where they eat and leave. The lobster caught in the trap is the one unlucky enough to be eating in the trap when the trap is pulled. Studies also show that lobsters will not enter a trap if a larger lobster is present in the feeding chamber, but will actually dig nests or “dugouts” under a trap to wait their turn to feed.

Current lobster traps are equipped with only one feeding chamber and waste one-half to two-thirds of the interior room in the trap utilizing nets designed to make it difficult for lobsters to exit. Unfortunately the lobsters seem to have learned the way out of such traps. Lobsters have no difficulty navigating two-compartment traps. Current traps additionally require the bait to be placed in a bait bag and tied in the sleeper compartment of the trap. If bait is placed loose in the lobster trap, it is easily removed by the lobster. Thus current traps are actually feeding stations for lobsters. Given this easily obtained supply of food, it is little wonder that lobster breeding stocks are continuing to increase.

In the prior art a lobster trap is usually a weighted semicircular or rectangular-shaped wooden or plastic-coated wire mesh box dropped to the ocean floor and tethered to a buoy for location and retrieval. Although the industry uses the term “lobster pot” interchangeably with “lobster trap.” for purposes of describing the present invention, the term “lobster trap” or “trap” will be used herein.

Prior art lobster trap configurations100, as seen inFIG. 1, divide the trap into two types of compartments, the first being an entry where the crustacean enters the trap which is variously called the entry, parlor or kitchen depending on the locale. “Parlor”102will be used for purposes of naming this compartment herein. The second type of compartment is the area where the lobster has access to the bait, which area is only accessible from the first compartment. This second compartment is confusingly also called the parlor, sleeper or kitchen depending on the locale in which the trap is being used. For the purposes herein “sleeper”106will be used to describe this second compartment which contains the bait bag and which lacks direct access to the ocean.

Traditional prior art lobster traps, as seen inFIG. 1, are usually configured with two entrance funnels referred to as “fishing heads” or “heads” such as head108, as referred to herein. In a traditional prior art lobster trap these two heads normally allow lobster entry into parlor102and are formed by cord netting that tapers inwardly toward the interior of the trap. Heads are generally located on opposite sides of parlor102. The heads may or may not be equipped with one-way gates.

A semicircular malleable metal wire ring made of steel or aluminum constricts each head's funnel near its interior opening. Many of today's traps are assembled with hog ring clips. These rings can be closed by compression using a specially designed pair of pliers. The use of such rings of various types is standard in the lobster fishing industry for fasteners of the various trap hinges and at other trap locations.

Prior art traps require the use of string mesh bait bags110into which the bait must be pre-loaded with great effort and mess. After a trap is hauled, the used bait bag110with rotted fish is removed from the trap by lifting lid104, saved for reuse and a new full bait bag is tied in the trap in the sleeper compartment106.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention herein provides for a new design of a lobster trap which puts to use the knowledge gained from current scientific studies on the abilities and habits of lobsters. Use of lobster traps of the present invention minimizes the time and effort spent by a lobsterman to check and re-bait his traps and maximizes the potential for trapping one or more lobsters in each trap when hauled. The trap of this invention is characterized by the lack of a “parlor” chamber, instead providing for two or more feeding chambers, each individually accessible from outside the trap, with no way for lobsters which enter the trap to move from one feeding chamber to another and thus cannot gain access to other lobster(s) in other feeding chambers. Each feeding chamber has access to a central bait well which is opened for filling at the same time the cover lid or hatch of the lobster trap is opened and is closed when the cover lid or hatch is closed without any other action being necessary.

The lobster trap of this invention reduces the work of the lobsterman by eliminating the need to fill and attach new bait bags in a trap and to remove used bait bags for refilling. No parlor is provided in the interior of the trap of this invention. The interior of the present invention contains two or more feeding chambers, each with separate direct access to the exterior of the trap. By eliminating the parlor compartment from the lobster trap, which parlor is not necessary as lobsters can escape from them, more feeding chambers can be provided in which more lobsters can be fed; and if more lobsters are in the feeding chambers when the trap is pulled, more lobsters will be caught. Further, in the invention herein, a separate single head opens directly into its respective feeding chamber of the trap rather than two head openings into a parlor chamber as found in the prior art. No entry is provided from one feeding chamber to another, and there is thus no problem of a lobster occupying one feeding chamber frightening away another lobster from entering an unoccupied feeding chamber of the trap. In various embodiments of our invention the bait well can be an interior feeding envelope, a V-shaped feeder or central bait well, and various interior partitions can be provided and fastened inside the trap by hog rings or by any other suitable clips or bands.

In the present invention the bait bag of the prior art is replaced with a central bait well made of wire mesh which bait well is adjacent and accessible to lobsters in all feeding chambers of the trap through the wire mesh. The bait well is accessible and refillable when the cover of the trap is opened to remove the catch, and the bait well can be refilled without the need of providing new bait bags and tying them in place. Remaining rotted bait is drawn to the bottom of the bait well by gravity and remains as an attractant for lobsters and results in the conservation of resources for the lobsterman.

Thus, it is an object of this invention to provide multiple feeding chambers in a single lobster trap in each of which a lobster can feed without contact with other lobsters in other feeding chambers in the same trap.

It is a further object of this invention to eliminate the use of bait bags by creating a fixed interior bait well.

It is yet a further object of this invention to make the bait well and feeding chambers accessible to the lobsterman upon opening the cover or hatch of the trap.

It is yet a further object of this invention to provide a central bait well and to provide at least one partition which will separate the lobster trap into two or more feeding chambers and which will prevent lobsters in one feeding chamber from gaining access to lobsters in any other feeding chamber in the trap.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT(S)

As seen inFIG. 2lobster trap24of this invention is formed by creating a rectangular box composed of wire mesh10or other suitable material. Lobster trap24has first, second, third and fourth sides30,31,33and35and base38. One section of trap24is hinged and forms cover12. In one embodiment of the invention first and second head openings26and28are defined, respectively, in first and second sides30and31of trap24; and first and second mesh funnel attachments32and34are affixed, respectively, to second and first head openings28and26in standard fashion and enter into second and first feeding chambers16and14, respectively, as seen inFIG. 2.

An envelope bait well18having an opening64is centrally disposed between the two feeding chambers. In an alternate embodiment, as seen inFIG. 6, are vertically disposed first, second, third and fourth partitions36,37,41and39and vertically disposed first, second, third and fourth wire mesh members54,56,58and60in the interior of trap24which are made of wire mesh or other suitable material. These partitions are each affixed to at least one side and to base38of trap24and with the wire mesh members they form four feeding chambers, being first, second, third and fourth feeding chambers40,44,46and48. As discussed further below, first, second, third and fourth partitions36,37,41and39and the wire mesh members are attached and fitted together to form bait well22in the center of trap24for the insertion of bait therein and which bait well22is closed at its bottom by trap base38and open at its top. As seen inFIG. 2bait well18is affixed to base38and is incorporated within partition74which is attached vertically to at least two sides of trap24, being first side30and second side31. Each head is made of the aforesaid mesh of its funnel attachment has and exclusive access to only one feeding chamber of the trap. Each feeding chamber, such as first, second, third and fourth feeding chambers40,44,46and48, as seen inFIG. 6, has separate and distinct access to central bait well22. Top outer edge52of bait well22is flush with level50of trap24. Cover12is hinged in such a fashion that when closed, it lies flat across the top outer edge of trap24and covers the top opening of bait well22such that cover12prevents any bait placed within bait well22from being removed from the top opening. Cover12, when closed, also covers over first, second, third and fourth feeding chambers40,44,46and48of trap24and assists in preventing the escape of lobsters. Cover12can be locked in its closed position by means of a standard elastic loop or strap or equivalent closure means, not shown.

The central bait well can take many forms, such as bait well22inFIG. 6which is formed by angular first, second, third and fourth wire mesh members54,56,58and60. Each of these wire mesh members interconnect with their adjacent partitions, such as first wire mesh member54attaching to third partition39and fourth partition41, thereby forming first feeding chamber40and providing access from feeding chamber40to the bait, not shown, in bait well22through the openings in first wire mesh member54. In the same way the second, third and fourth wire mesh members56,58, and60connect to other adjacent partitions, as described below, to form central bait well22that is enclosed on four sides and base38, with the opening at the top of the bait well being closed when cover12is in its closed position. Fourth wire mesh member60attaches to third partition41and first partition36to form second feeding chamber44, and third wire mesh member58attaches to first partition36and second partition37to form third feeding chamber46. Second wire mesh member56attaches to second partition37and fourth partition39to form fourth feeding chamber48. Thus four feeding chambers are provided having a central bait well22which bait well can be accessed by lobsters within trap24through the openings in each wire mesh member from each of the feeding chambers. Other types of bait wells can be used, as described below, and configurations can be made with many feeding chambers accessing a unitary central bait well. InFIG. 2trap24has two feeding chambers, being first and second feeding chambers14and16, each having a respective first and second head26and28therein, such first and second feeding chambers14and16being separated from one another by a centrally disposed partition74extending from first side30to second side31of trap24to which partition envelope-style bait well18is attached. Envelope-style bait well18can be opened for the positioning of bait therein when cover12is lifted. Envelope-style bait well18can be made of wire mesh, open-mesh fabric material or equivalent material as long as it is able to perform its functions of separating the occupant(s) of first feeding chamber14from the occupant(s) of second feeding chamber16and providing access to bait contained therein through its open mesh to lobsters in both first feeding chamber14and second feeding chamber16.

In an alternate embodiment the envelope-style bait well18seen inFIG. 2can be replaced by a V-shaped bait well, as seen inFIG. 3, within trap24and as shown separately inFIG. 5. V-shaped bait well20can extend from first side30to second side31and has the pointed edge of the “V” attached to trap base38. Outer edge52of bait well20is aligned with level50of trap24such that when cover12is closed, the bait well and first and second feeding chambers14and16are closed; and when cover12is opened, there is easy access for the lobsterman to place bait into opening62of V-shaped bait well20as well as providing lobsters access for feeding through the mesh along the bait well's sides from first and second feeding chambers14and16.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to particular embodiments, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that variations and modifications can be substituted therefor without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention.