Recreational divers are punished severely for possession of undersized lobster. The commercial fishermen use them for bait. Below is an excerpt from the State of Florida document. These people have to be kidding.

"Industry has requested that we increase the number of shorts

that may be possessed on the water from 50 or one per trap onboard

the vessel, whichever is greater to 100 or two shorts per trap onboard,

whichever is greater (Greg DiDomenico, Monroe County Commercial

Fishermen Inc., personal communication).

Sublegal lobsters, or "shorts", have traditionally been used in

this fishery to attract other lobsters into traps. The Caribbean spiny

lobster is highly gregarious, and lobsters will enter traps that contain

other lobsters at a higher rate than empty traps or traps that contain

only a food bait. Although use of shorts enhances catch rate in traps,

there are lethal effects (starvation, predation) and sublethal effects

(growth impairment) associated with their use that reduce recruitment

of lobsters to the fishery, and thus reduces future landings. Previous

research indicates that the mortality rate of short attractants can be

high for several reasons: exposure-induced trauma, handling, and

starvation and predation due to confinement in traps."

You can believe their data if you want, but remember that there are commercial fishermen deeply involved in the process. They will reap huge profits if they are successful.

Figures will lie, and liars will figure.

These people figure us as fools.

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