How to ID Lobster Traps
- 1). Identify all traps and buoys with either the permit code assigned by the fisheries regional office or with identifying markings as prescribed by the vessel's state of registry or trapper's home state.
- 2). Burn or carve the identifying numbers into the surface of traps and buoys with a knife or wood burning tool. The markings must be a minimum of 1/2 inch high and cut at least 1/8 inch deep into the surface.
- 3). Mark traps that cannot be engraved, such as traps made of metal, with a tag made from a durable material, such as plastic. Carve the identification numbers into the tag with a wood burning tool or the tip of a heated knife or screwdriver. Permanently secure the tag to the inside of the trap with screws or plastic cable ties.
