A lobster 'v' notching and scientific study designed and promoted by fishermen is about to start in Orkney.

Long sighted fishermen have conducted voluntary V notching schemes all over the world. Orkney ran a successful V notching scheme in 2000. The purpose of the scheme is to mark mature lobsters of reproductive age by clipping a v shaped notch into their tail. These lobsters are then returned to the sea to continue breeding and kept out of the market. The V notch takes 4 years to disappear from the animal ensuring protection for that period.
It is illegal then to land, buy or sell a V notched lobster, although sadly there are those who flout the law.

The larger the female lobster the more fecund her eggs The egg release of a 2kilo lobster of 150mm carapace length can produce 20000 eggs, more than three times that produced by a legal but smaller lobster of 90mm carapace length
Lobsters at both the larger and smaller end of the scale are more difficult to sell and like many species are being fished towards the smaller end of the range. The most abundant time for egg bearing females is April, May and June although this is dependent on water temperature. Lobsters come into shallower warmer water to incubate their eggs and areas such as Kirkwall Bay are prime nursery areas for incubating females.
The prices for lobster have been kept low due to a large influx of foreign imports in particular from Canada where lobsters of a smaller size can be legally landed. The market is also distorting landing sizes by seeking ‘plate-sized’ lobsters which are inevitably smaller.  The majority of Orkney lobsters are shipped live to Spain. Orkney lobsters are exported to Scandinavia, Europe and the far-east.

In Orkney some berried  (egg bearing) lobsters are landed to the Lobster hatchery on Lamb Holm where their eggs are harvested to grow into juvenile lobsters for re-release later or sold commercially to other areas for re-stocking. The adult lobsters are sold after releasing their eggs. The hatchery is limited in the number of lobster juveniles it can accommodate so cannot take every berried lobster fished in Orkney waters. A ‘v’ notching scheme would compliment the work of the hatchery.
As Orkney ran a V notch scheme over 10 years ago there is data from this scheme which documents numbers, weight and areas where lobsters were caught. The new V notch scheme  undertaken for 2013-14 will produce new data and a comparative study of  the sets of data from both schemes will be analysed to provide up todate infomation on the stocks.

Merchants are being asked to assist in the scheme by monitoring notching and handling payments and fishermen should work through their usual merchant, but anyone can contact OFA for more infomation on how to get involved. Phone 01856871818

Fishermen will have an opportunity this week to meet Marine Scotland and SNH in pre- designation talks over the Rousay and Wyre sound proposed MPA for Maerl. Places are limited but those intrested should get in touch with OFA if they wish to attend.

See exactly what creel fishing in a typical Orkney single handed boat is all about. This short documentary by Lux films edited by Sean Groat shows OFA member Richard Groat of Stronsay  in detail through the cycle of the fisherman's day from bait preparation to shpping the catch. A wonderful educational tool for schools as well as showing those who may want to become fishermen what its like at least in clam weather! The film also shows how selective the creel fishery is. The soundtrack features the classic Ali Windwick song 'Partans in his Creel'.Please share widely. You can find it on the  links section of this website under videos or from this link

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_uKFKjx3LU4

***** rating from OFA