A Maritime tradition: lobster trap trees
It's that time of year again!
The lobster trap Christmas tree is a staple on shorelines around the Maritimes.
The lobster industry in Atlantic Canada is a big contributor to the region's economy, with traps dotting the coast as boats set out to haul in the day's catch.
So what happens to old traps that don't get used anymore?
"We go around different places and pick up old used traps," Philip Oakes of the Fisheries Museum of the Atlantic tells the Weather Network.
"A lot of the fishermen drop them off in the fall for us."
It takes about a week to put the lobster trap tree in Lunenburg together. It contains about 225 traps and sits at a height of about 7 metres.
Oakes said it's "scary up at the top."
He keeps a close eye on the tree throughout the season to ensure all the bulbs are lit.
"We had a lot of wind on the weekend, so it knocked out some of our lights,"said Oakes.
You can see a few more lobster trap trees in the video above.
Thumbnail image courtesy of Nathan Coleman.
