lobster pots information

Hi all,
New too the site so easy on me!, fishing out of cork and looking to set a few lobster pots on the start of our days fishing and take them in at the end of our trip, just wondering is it worth my while to try it out as they would only be soaking for 6 to 8 hours at max and is there any license needed or laws regarding the matter. Just fancy trying something different with little effort and a different flavour for the misses . Any information welcome.

Some where in the back of my mind tells me you need a licence to set down lobster pots? You may be allowed 1 or 2 without a licence.


My legal adviser Mohawk will be a long with the facts and he will put you right.
Jim has never been wrong on the legal side of thing and he has put me wise to a lot of the legislation dealing with fishing.

i looked into this a few years back and as far as i can remember, for Recreational pot fishing without a licence you are allowed to fish 3 pots for your own use
and that does not mean 3 pots here and 3 pots over there its 3 pots in total.

I think that changed recently TBH John, I seem to recall one of the SFPA buddies mentioning something about it, someone who knows more than I will no doubt be along soon to clarify however.

Some where in the back of my mind tells me you need a licence to set down lobster pots? You may be allowed 1 or 2 without a licence.


My legal adviser Mohawk will be a long with the facts and he will put you right.
Jim has never been wrong on the legal side of thing and he has put me wise to a lot of the legislation dealing with fishing.

I'll have to send you your legal bill soon Donal, payable in large pint glasses

I think it used to be 4 pots from memory but that exemption may be long long gone! Personally I wouldn't bother for 2 reasons, one we don't want to antagonise any of the potters working in Cork Harbour that may result in someone netting again, and also I know a commercial potter who has 6 or 8 hundred pots and he told me once on a good day he gets half a dozen lobster.

The pots you see guys hauling around Cork Harbour are not lobster pots but mainly crab or shrimp pots and believe me they have to work to earn their money so 3 or 4 pots shot for a few hours is hardly worth the effort

they also do a good bussiness in used fishing gear

Drop 3 down and see what happens , no harm in trying

yeah you are allowed a few for your own use, try sure .no harm never know what you might get Dont believe all them commercial potters tell you!! They will hardly tell you that they filled the boat with them

Thanks lads. Sounds like a bit of a long shot then, might try it once just for the craic! but it sounds like if the misses is looking for a different flavour it might be tomato ketchup on the mackeral !. Chances are i would not have the heart to boil the little buggers alive anyway. . ill let ye know how i get on

Dont believe all them commercial potters tell you!! They will hardly tell you that they filled the boat with them

I can assure you they ain't telling fibs Mart If potting was as productive as you believe there wouldn't be a charter boat in Ireland we would be all out potting The truth is it's hard work for little returns, that why most boats that survive these days are multi-purpose boats.

give it a go -

i got 2 wee bait traps off of ebay - they are great crack and I always drop them in if i am fishin a harbour or deep water.

they always throw up something - fresh shrimp are gorgeous - an ive had eels an allsorts of wee fish, not to mention bizillions of crabs, guy i met got a conger in one of his tho - say he had fun getting that out !

Not many people know this including some of the small commercials but there is a closed season for shrimp fishing just like bass in Ireland, the dates of the closed period change so couldn't tell you what dates it's closed this year you would have to check it out with the D.O.M it usually opens in August so its closed at present

Just got this off the CFB website so looks like it's closed from 1 May to 1 August

"Attention salmon anglers: Shrimp close season

S.I. No. 235 of 2006 Shrimp (Fisheries Management and Conservation), Regulations 2006
The effect of these Regulations is to provide for a closed season for shrimp fishing from 9 May 2006 to 1 August 2006. The closed season in subsequent years will be the period 1 May to 1 August. This applies too to anglers collecting shrimp for bait."