Fylde coast man set to rock the lobster world with new pots

Former aerospace engineer Bob Norburn has come up with a new design for the traditional lobster pot, making it more environmentally-friendly, lighter, and more effective simply by changing the shape.

Bob, 71, who lived in Nova Scotia, Canada, for more than 30 years while working in aerospace, was inspired after seeing lobster boats heading out into a storm as he headed for harbour in his 17ft yacht, with their decks piled high with heavy, domed, wooden pots. He later read that one of the boats had been lost, probably overturning due to the weight and waves.

Bob saw that the wooden pots weighted with concrete to stop the floating, were inefficient and came up with a patented steel “Toblerone” shaped triangular version which stack better on deck. After returning to the Fylde coast, he tested the prototypes at the Sea Life Centre and now makes them to order in his garage.

Bob and his business partner Steve Simpkin, who met in their boardroom – the bar at the Thatched House pub in Poulton - are negotiating deals to have the pots made worldwide.

Bob said: “As I returned to port in a 10ft swell, I was getting pretty worried and yet three boats were having to head out to fish rocking like a pendulum with pots piled high on deck. They don’t make a lot of money from their catch and had to go out.

"I read later that one family boat was lost. I am not doing it for the money, I just feel I have a debt of gratitude to Canada where I was a high earner while these people have mortgages on their boast and home and families to feed.

“Traditional traps being wooden need to be weighted and they don’t work all that well. In fact, 94 per cent of lobsters than go into a traditional trap managed to escape, we have yet to see a single lobster escape from our BLT - Better Lobster Trap.

"There has been a lot of interest worldwide. In the US alone there’s 10 million lobster traps in regular use!”