End of the 2012 Maine Lobster Fishing Season

Maine lobster fisherman out to traps in the winter months.

 As the days get shorter and colder, the 2012 Maine lobster fishing season is beginning to draw to a close.  These late fall and early winter days are the most severe for fishing and the most demanding on the fishermen.  The sea produces the greatest catches of lobster this time of year yet the weather is harsh and the days are dark and cold. The fishermen leave dock before sunrise and return after sunset, navigating their way through the darkness of the harbor with spotlights mounted to the roofs of their boats.  When the sun is up during the day, it brings visibility to the fishermen but little warmth. Layers of fleece and flannel are worn to help fend off the chilly Atlantic air. A fisherman from my home town shared the above photo the other week and it reminded me of just how cold it is out on the Atlantic Ocean this time of year.  I used to hate working on the boat during Thanksgiving and Christmas breaks because of the brutal conditions.  No mater how many layers of boot socks I put on, my toes would still tingle with cold the whole day. 

By this time in December, the weather usually becomes especially foul and the lobsters start to peter off so the fishermen begin taking in their gear.  In my town, some of the lobster fishermen have already taken up all of their gear.  Others, including my family, are still at it.  I imagine though that most fisherman will have their traps up by the new year.  Some fishermen will take up their boats up as well. 

What do fishermen do in the winter months? As I covered in a previous blog post, fishermen use the winter months to prepare for the next season by overhauling their gear.  They repair or replace traps that have been damaged or lost the previous season and bring all traps up-to-date with the latest trap tags and escape vents.  The work is monotonous and there is no pay check at the end of the day but it is a welcome break from the harsh conditions they have faced out on the water during the final months of the lobster fishing season.  I will be glad to know when my family have all of their traps ashore for this fishing season.

To read more recent updates on the Maine lobster fishing season, click here.