This is the reason for two buoys on river gear . In Maine, traps may be set at anytime. However, between June 1 and September 1, no traps may be hauled after 4pm on Saturdays and at no time on Sundays may they be hauled. During the rest of the year traps may be hauled seven days a week until sunset. In 1996 there were only 144 lobstermen in Maine that tended 1200 or more traps.
Today there are fewer.
5 a.m. Loading totes with bait. The bait is mostly herring. Primarily, banding the 'keepers' insures that they don't injure each other in the live-tank. While not cannibalistic in the wild, lobsters will not hesitate to make a meal out of their fellow lobster under crowded conditions. This is how NOT to band a lobster.