Lobster Potting

Next to netting, potting is one of the oldest forms of fishing, and was practised widely throughout the Pacific well before the arrival of European settlers.

Rock lobster pots are usually made from steel mesh and can be either square or round. The pot is baited with a piece of fish and lowered to the sea floor, with a float and marker rope coming to the surface. The lobster enters the pot from the top, and once inside is unable to escape.

The pot is lifted by a winch on to the boat. The lobsters are measured, with any undersize lobsters being returned to the sea. Handled correctly, this process does not harm the lobsters. For information on measuring rock lobster refer to the rock lobster page.

Pots of slightly different shapes are also used to catch blue cod, and octopus.