Lobster buoys come in many shapes and colours. Yes, they make for great photographs but, they also serve a very practical function. Every fisherman, like every jockey on the racetrack, has a unique colour marking to help distinguish them from all their competitors. The colour pattern found on lobster buoys must also be displayed on the fisherman’s boat to help marine patrols connect the owner to the nets. Lobsterman add their distinctive designs to both sides of the hull and on the deck. For decades, buoys were typically made from wood, black cedar being a favourite. Nowadays, floats are constructed from styrofoam and plastic – two materials that prove more durable for a life spent mostly in the water. Many lobster buoy designs have been in fishing families for generations.
