WO2022035761A2 - A receiver for a crab pot, and related systems and methods - Google Patents

Abstract

A crab pot for capturing a crab and other animals in the water, includes: a frame that defines an interior region, an entrance through which a crab or other animal enters the interior region of the frame, a mesh, and a receiver. The mesh is coupled with the frame and traps the crab or other animal in the interior region once the crab or other animal is in the interior region. The receiver is coupled with the crab pot's frame and operable to receive a coupler that, when the crab pot is positioned next to another, similar crab pot, and the coupler is received by the receiver of both crab pots, the coupler holds both crab pots together.

Description

A RECEIVER FOR A CRAB POT, AND RELATED SYSTEMS AND METHODS

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION AND CLAIM OF PRIORITY

[1] This application is a continuation-in-part application from commonly owned, presently pending, U.S. patent application 15/778,091 filed 22 May 2018, and titled “A Coupler for Coupling A Crab Pot With Another Crab Pot, And Related Systems And Methods”, which claims priority from commonly owned PCT patent application PCT/US2016/062608 filed 17 November 2016 and titled “A Coupler for Coupling A Crab Pot With Another Crab Pot, And Related Systems And Methods”, which claims priority from commonly owned U.S. Provisional Patent Application 62/256,322 filed 17 November 2015, and titled “A Connector For Holding Together Two Adjacent Crab Pots Positioned On A Boats Deck, And Related Systems And Methods", each incorporated by reference. This application also claims priority from commonly owned U.S. Provisional Patent Application 63/065,043 filed 13 August 2020, and titled “A Crab Pot With A Receiver For A Coupler And Related Systems And Methods", which is also incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND

[2] Commercial crab fishing is labor intensive and dangerous work carried out in some of the most extreme environments possible. For many years, commercial fishing has topped the Bureau of Labor Statistics' list of jobs with the most fatalities - and crabbing in Alaskan waters is by far the most lethal form of fishing. The coast of Alaska and the Aleutian Islands often endure temperatures that are well below freezing and seas that are very rough. These conditions combined with the heavy equipment used to commercially fish for crab compound the dangers that commercial fishermen encounter when crabbing. Unlike the crab pots used by weekend pleasure boaters, a large commercial crab pot is generally 7 feet by 8 feet and weighs about 800-pounds empty. [3] A typical crab fishing expedition launches off the coast of Alaska and travels to a desired crabbing ground. At the desired ground, each of the extremely large, heavy pots are hoisted by a crane onto a pot launcher where a deckhand baits the pot. After the pot is baited, the pot launcher tilts the pot over the ship’s gunnel to allow the pot to drop into the ocean. The crane is operated by a deckhand who maneuvers the end of the crane close to the pot to be hoisted. While the crane operator maneuvers the end of the crane, another deckhand climbs the stack of pots on the ship’s deck, unties from the stack the pot to be hoisted, and then attaches the pot to the crane by hand with a rope or hook. When the deck of the vessel is pitching from stormy seas and/or the pots are covered in ice, climbing the stack of pots, un-tying a pot from the stack and then fastening one of them to the crane can be very dangerous.

[4] Similarly, storing each of the pots on deck after fishing for crab, exposes deckhands to very dangerous conditions. In addition to reversing the loading process discussed in the previous paragraph, the deckhand secures the recently positioned pot to other pots already positioned (stacked) on the deck for storage. The pots are often stacked four or five high and to secure the pot to the stack the deckhand typically ties the pot to the adjacent pot in a couple locations. Doing this while the deck is pitching in sub-zero temperatures and the crane is positioning the next pot for storage further exposes the deckhand to a very dangerous condition.

SUMMARY

[5] In an aspect of the invention, a crab pot for capturing a crab and other animals in the water, includes: a frame that defines an interior region, an entrance through which a crab or other animal enters the interior region of the frame, a mesh, and a receiver. The mesh is coupled with the frame and traps the crab or other animal in the interior region once the crab or other animal is in the interior region. The receiver is coupled with the crab pot’s frame and operable to receive a coupler that, when the crab pot is positioned next to another, similar crab pot, and the coupler is received by the receiver of both crab pots, the coupler holds both crab pots together. [6] With a receiver coupled with a crab pot’s frame, a coupler may secure two similar, adjacent crab pots together without a deckhand manually tying the pots together. This, in turn, allows many similar crab pots to be secured together into one or more large groups, and also allows the crab pots to be separated without a deckhand manually untying the pots. Thus, the couplers and the receivers of the crab pots, reduce the need for a deckhand to climb on, over and/or around stacked crab pots in heavy seas and sub-zero temperatures.

[7] In another aspect of the invention, a method for coupling a crab pot with another crab pot, includes: positioning a receiver of a crab pot next to a receiver of another, similar crab pot; receiving a coupler with the receiver of one of the crab pots; and, while the coupler is received by the receiver of one of the crab pots, receiving the coupler with the receiver of the other crab pot.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[8] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of two crab pots coupled together, one on top of the other, according to an embodiment of the invention.

[9] FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of two crab pots coupled together, side by side, according to another embodiment of the invention.

[10] FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of a crab pot shown in FIG. 1 , according to an embodiment of the invention.

[11] FIG. 4 shows a view of a receiver coupled to the frame of the crab pot shown in FIG. 3, according to an embodiment of the invention.

[12] FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of the receiver shown in FIGS. 1 - 4, according to an embodiment of the invention.

[13] Each of FIGS. 6 - 8 shows a view of the coupler shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, according to an embodiment of the invention.

[14] Each of FIGS. 9A - 11 B shows a step in the process for coupling together the two crab pots shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, according to an embodiment of the invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[15] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of two crab pots 20 and 22 coupled together, one on top of the other, according to an embodiment of the invention. The two crab pots 20 and 22 are coupled together via a system 24 that includes a first receiver 26 of the first crab pot 20, a second receiver 28 of the second crab pot 22, and a coupler 30 that releasably engages both receivers 26 and 28 to couple the crab pots 20 and 22 together. The first and second receivers 26 and 28 are discussed in greater detail in conjunction with FIGS. 3, 4 and 5, and the coupler 30 is discussed in greater detail in conjunction with FIGS. 6 - 11B. Although two crab pots 20 and 22 are shown, more crab pots may be coupled together to form a taller and/or wider stack. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, two crab pots 20 and 22 may be coupled side by side. Also, although one coupler 30 is shown, the system 24 may include a coupler 30 for each set of receivers 26 and 28 shown, and each of the crab pots 20 and 22 may include more or fewer receivers 26 and 28. The coupler 30 includes a first holding component 32 that releasably engages the receiver 26, a second holding component (not shown here but shown in FIGS. 6 - 9A, 10A, 11 A, and 11 B) that releasably engages the receiver 28, and an appendage 34 that a deckhand (not shown) may grab with his/her hand or stand on with his/her foot, while he/she climbs on, over and/or around the crab pots 20 and 22. When the coupler 30 engages the first and second receivers 26 and 28, respectively, the two crab pots 20 and 22 are held together and restrained from moving across each other in the directions indicated by the arrows 36a - 36d.

[16] With the receivers 26 and 28 coupled with their respective crab pots 20 and 22, the coupler 30 may secure the two crab pots 20 and 22 together without a deckhand manually tying the pots 20 and 22 together. This, in turn, allows many similar crab pots (crab pots that include a receiver 26 or 28) to be secured together into one or more large groups, and also allows the crab pots to be separated without a deckhand manually untying the pots. Thus, the coupler 30 and the receivers 26 and 28 of the crab pots 20 and 22, reduce the need for a deckhand to climb on, over and/or around stacked crab pots in heavy seas and sub-zero temperatures.

[17] FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of two crab pots 20 and 22 coupled together, side by side, according to another embodiment of the invention. In this and other embodiments, each of four couplers 30 is received by a respective one of four sets of receivers 26 and 28 that are located on a respective side of each of the crab pots 20 and 22. Coupling crab pots side by side allows one to form a large group of many crab pots coupled together by allowing the group of pots to be arranged in two or more rows as well as two or more columns. This, in turn, allows one to couple all of a crab boat’s pots together, if desired, by forming a group of pots that are stacked multiple pots high, multiple pots wide, and multiple pots deep. For example, the group can include eight, five-pot stacks that are four pots across and two pots deep for a total number of forty crab pots in the group, each of which is coupled with an adjacent crab pot.

[18] FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of the first crab pot 20 shown in FIG. 1 , according to an embodiment of the invention. FIG. 4 shows a view of the first receiver 26 of the first crab pot 20, shown in FIG. 3, according to an embodiment of the invention. Although the following discusses the first crab pot 20 and its respective first receiver 26, the discussion also applies to the second crab pot 22 and its respective second receiver 28.

[19] In this and other embodiments, the crab pot 20 includes a frame 40 that defines an interior region 42, an entrance 44 through which a crab (or other animal) (not shown) can enter the interior region 42, and a mesh 46 that traps the crab (or other animal) once the crab enters the interior region 42. The crab pot 20 also includes a receiver 26 (here eight) that is coupled to the frame 40 and configured to receive and hold a coupler (30 in FIGS. 1 and 2). The mesh 46 may be configured as desired. For example, in this and other embodiments, the mesh 46 is made of rope that is woven into a net and tied to the frame 40. The entrance 44 includes a conventional funnel entrance that directs a crab or other animal, and is easily navigated by the crab or other animal, into the interior region 42 where bait is located, but does not direct, and is difficult to navigate, when the crab or other animal attempts to leave the interior region 42. [20] Each of the receivers 26 may be coupled to the frame 40 in any desired manner. For example, in this and other embodiments each of the receivers 26 is welded to the frame 40 of the crab pot 20. In such embodiments, the receivers 26 are fixed to the crab pot 20. More specifically, each of the receivers 26 includes a body 48 and a bar 50. As discussed in greater detail in conjunction with FIG. 5, the body 48 includes a hole that receives the coupler 30, and holds the coupler 30 when the coupler 30 is positioned in the receiver 26 (discussed in greater detail in conjunction with FIGS. 9A - 11 B). The bar 50 is thicker (here 1 .0 inches in diameter) than the thickness (here 0.75 inches) of the body 48, and protects the body 48 from being damaged and/or deforming (bending or warping) during impacts experienced during use.

[21] In other embodiments, one or more of the receivers 26 may be releasably coupled to the frame 40. In such embodiments, the one or more receivers 26 may be bolted to the frame 40 of the crab pot 20. Then, when the crab pot 20 is not being used, the one or more receivers 26 may be removed from the pot 20 and releasably coupled to another crab pot 20 and used to couple the other crab pot 20 to other pots 20. Another advantage to having one or more of the receivers 26 releasably coupled to the frame 40 is that one may position one or more of the receivers 26 to align with one or more fixed receivers of another crab pot to allow the two pots to be coupled together.

[22] In addition, each of the receivers 26 may be coupled to the frame 40 at any desired location on the frame 40. For example, in this and other embodiments the frame 40 is rectangular in shape, and each of the eight receivers 26 are coupled to a respective one of the eight comers of the frame 40. In other embodiments, one or more additional receivers 26 may be coupled to the frame 40 between any of two adjacent corners.

[23] Still referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, each of the receivers 26 may be oriented relative to the frame 40 of the crab pot 20, as desired. As discussed in greater detail in conjunction with FIGS. 9A - 11 B, the coupler’s first holding component 32 restrains the movement of the first receiver 26, and thus the crab pot 20, from moving relative to the second receiver 28, and thus the crab pot 22, in the directions indicated by the arrows 36a and 36b (FIG. 1), but provides less resistance to the movement of the first receiver 26 in the directions indicated by the arrows 36c and 36d (FIG. 1). So, to provide more restraint to the movement of the first crab pot 20 relative to the second crab pot 22 in the directions indicated by the arrows 36c and 36d, one or more of the first receivers 26, may be clocked 90 degrees relative to other receivers 26. For example, in this and other embodiments two of the four bottom comers of the crab pot 20 that together establish a diagonal across the bottom of the crab pot 20, include their respective receiver 26 clocked 90 degrees relative to the receivers 26 located at the remaining six corners of the frame 40. In such embodiments, the appendage 34 of the coupler 30 may extend from the first and second holding components at an angle that is also clocked 90 degrees relative to the coupler 30 shown in FIG. 1 so that when a coupler 30 couples the crab pots 20 and 22 at the appropriate comers of the crab pot 20, the appendage 34 extends in the same direction as the appendage 34 of the coupler 30 located at the other comers of the frame 40.

[24] FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of the receiver 26 shown in FIGS. 1 — 4, according to an embodiment of the invention. Again, although the following discusses the first receiver 26 of the first crab pot 20, the discussion also applies to the second receiver 28 of the second crab pot 22. This allows either the first holding component 32 (FIG. 1) or the second holding component (FIGS. 6 - 9A, 10A, 11 A, and 11B) to engage either receiver 26 or 28. This, in turn, allows one to use the coupler 30 to couple the crab pots 20 and 22 when the crab pot 20 is above the crab pot 22 as shown in FIG. 1, or when the crab pot 22 is above the crab pot 20. Thus, a deckhand stacking crab pots for the return to port or the journey to another crabbing ground does not have to worry about stacking the pots in a specific order or sequence to stack all of the pots on the ship’s deck. In other embodiments, however, the second receiver 28 may have a different configuration to correspond with the configuration of the second holding component of the coupler 30.

[25] The receiver 26 may be configured as desired to receive and hold the coupler 30 when the coupler is properly positioned in the receiver 26. In this and other embodiments, the receiver 26 includes the body 48, and the hole 52 configured to receive either the first holding component 32 (FIG. 1) of the coupler 30 (FIG. 1), or the second holding component of the coupler 30. The hole 52 extends through the first and second surfaces 54 and 56 of the body 48, and has an oblong shape to allow the first holding component 32 to be inserted into the hole 52 when the first holding component 32 is set in a specific position (discussed in greater detail in conjunction with FIGS. 9A - 11 B), and then to be rotated relative to the hole 52 to lock the first holding component 32 with the receiver’s body 48. More specifically, the surfaces 54 and 56 are 0.75 inches apart giving the body 48 a thickness of % of an inch, and the hole 52 is defined by two curved ends 56a and 56b that are each defined by the perimeter of a circle whose center 58 lies in the hole 52. The hole 52 is also defined by two sides 60a and 60b that are straight and about 1 .7 inches apart. The hole 52 also includes a chamfer 62 that extends around the perimeter of the hole 52 to facilitate the insertion of the coupler’s first holding component 32 or second holding component into the hole 52.

[26] Other embodiments are possible. For example, the hole 52 may be configured differently. The hole 52 may be larger or smaller in scale, and/or the sides 58a and 58b may be closer or farther apart and may be shorter or longer between the curved ends 54a and 54b. In addition, the curved ends 54a and 54b may include a deeper or shallower curve. In addition, the receiver 26 may include a box having six sides defining and interior cavity, and having the hole 52 located in one of the sides.

[27] The receiver 26 may be made of any desired material capable of handling the harsh conditions that a crab pot typically experiences. For example, in this and other embodiments the receiver includes conventional stainless steel. In other embodiments, the receiver may include a tough, durable plastic.

[28] Each of FIGS. 6 - 8 shows a different view of the coupler 30 shown in FIG. 1 and 2, according to an embodiment of the invention. The coupler 30 includes a first holding component 32, a second holding component 68, and an appendage 34. As previously mentioned, in this and other embodiments the first holding component 32 and the second holding component 68 are each sized and configured to engage the hole 52 (FIGS. 4 and 5) so that the coupler 30 may engage the hole 52 with either the first or the second holding component 32 or 70, respectively.

[29] The first holding component 32, the second holding component 68 and the appendage 34 may be oriented relative to each other as desired. For example, in this and other embodiments the first holding component 32 and the second holding component 68 are aligned along an axis 72, and the first holding component 32 is clocked or rotated a number of degrees, 0 (here 20 degrees) (see FIGS. 6 and 10B), about the axis 72 relative to the second holding component 68. This allows one to insert the first holding component 32 into the hole 52 (FIGS. 4 and 5) and then lock the first holding component 32 to the receiver 22 (FIGS. 1 - 5), as discussed in conjunction with FIGS. 9A - 11B. The appendage 34 extends substantially perpendicular to the axis 72 from between the first holding component 32 and the second holding component 68, so that when the coupler 30 engages two receivers 26 and 28, the appendage 34 may extend out between the receivers 26 and 28, and beyond the crab pots that the receivers 26 and 28 are coupled to.

[30] Other embodiments are possible. For example, the first holding component 32 may be clocked more and less than 20 degrees relative to the second holding component 68, and the appendage 34 may extend away from the first and second holding components 32 and 68, respectively, at an angle that is not perpendicular to the axis 72.

[31] The first holding component 32 may be sized and configured as desired. For example, in this and other embodiments the first holding component 32 includes a body 74 and an end 76. The body 74 has a cross-sectional area in the shape of a parallelogram (See FIG. 9B), and sides 78a, 78b, 78c and 78d. The end 76 has a lip 80a and 80b. The length of the body 74 along the axis 72 is very close to but is not less than the depth of the receiver’s hole 52, and the lips 80a and 80b are sized to extend the length of the end 76 across the axis 72 to exceed the distance between the sides 58a and 58b of the hole 52. When one inserts the first holding component 32 into the hole 52, the sides 78c and 78d are adjacent the sides 60a and 60b (FIG. 5) of the hole 52, and the end 76 moves through the hole 52. And when one rotates the first holding component 32 to lock it to the receiver 26, the sides 78a and 78b are adjacent the hole’s side 58a and 58b, and the end’s lips 80a and 80b contact the body 48 (FIG. 5) of the receiver 22 to keep the first holding component 32, and thus the coupler 30, from disengaging from the receiver 26. [32] The second holding component 68 may also be sized and configured as desired. For example, in this and other embodiments, the second holding component 68 includes a pyramid 82 that has a first portion 86 and a second portion 88. The first portion 86 includes two shoulders 84a and 84b, and the second portion 88 includes the remainder of the pyramid 82. The first portion 86 extends away from the first holding component 32 along the axis 72, and has a length that is very close to but is not less than the depth of the receiver’s hole 52. The first portion 86 and the shoulders 84a and 84b are sized such that the width of the first portion 86 and the distance that each shoulder 84a and 84b extends provide a total combined width that is very close to but does not exceed the distance between the two curved ends 56a and 56b (FIG. 5) of the hole 52. When one inserts the second holding component 68 into the hole 52, the second portion’s pyramid 82 moves through the hole 52.

[33] The appendage 34 may be configured as desired. For example, in this and other embodiments, the appendage 34 includes a T-shaped body 90. The T-shaped body 90 is sized to allow one to grasp the T-shaped body 90. More specifically, the T-shaped body 90 is about two and a half inches long, about one inch wide, and extends about two and a half inches away from the first and second holding components 32 and 68, respectively, in a direction perpendicular to the axis 72. The T-shaped body 90 has a square cross-section that is about 0.5 inches by 0.5 inches.

[34] Other embodiments are possible. For example, the T-shaped body 90 may have any desired length and width, and may extend any desired distance away from the first and second holding components 32 and 68, respectively. In addition, the appendage 34 may include other shapes that may or may not have a passage through which one can extend one’s fingers through. For example, the appendage may be one or more bars that extend away from the first and second holding components 32 and 68, respectively. In addition, the appendage 34 may extend at an angle other than 90 degrees relative to the axis 72.

[35] Still referring to FIGS. 6 - 8, the coupler 30 may include any desired material capable of handling the harsh conditions that a crab pot typically experiences. For example, in this and other embodiments the coupler 30 includes conventional stainless steel. In other embodiments, the coupler 30 may include a plastic. In still other embodiments, the coupler 30 may include a durable material that has a large coefficient of friction, and thus can generate a large amount of friction between the deckhand’s boot or glove when in use.

[36] Each of FIGS. 9A - 11 B shows a step in the process for coupling together the two crab pots 20 and 22 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 with the coupler 30 (FIGS. 1, 2 and 6 - 8), according to an embodiment of the invention.

[37] In this and other embodiments, the process begins by one positioning the first holding component 32 adjacent the hole 52 of the receiver 26 so that the end 76 (FIGS. 6 - 8) and body 74 (FIGS. 6 - 8) may be inserted into the hole 52. FIG. 9B shows the clocked orientation of this first position but shows the first holding component 32 already inserted into the hole 52, not adjacent the hole 52 just before insertion. After locating the first holding component 32 in this first position, one inserts the first holding component 32 into the hole 52. Each of FIGS. 9A and 9B shows the coupler 30 inserted into the hole 52 at this point in the process. Next, the coupler 30 is rotated about the axis 72 in the direction of the arrow 96 about seventy degrees to lock the first holding component 32 inside the hole 52 of the receiver 26. FIGS. 10A and 10B each show the coupler 30 locked in this position. Now, the second holding component 68 is ready to be inserted into the hole 52 of the second receiver 28 of the second crab pot 22 by moving toward the second receiver’s hole 52 in the direction of the arrow 98 as shown in FIG. 11 A. Then, one inserts the second holding component 68 into the hole 52 of the receiver 28. FIG. 11B shows the second holding component 68 inserted into the second receiver’s hole 52. In this position, the shoulders 84a and 84b of the second holding component 68 contact or are very close to the curved end 56a (FIG. 5) to restrain movement of the second crab pot 22 in the directions of the arrows 36c and 36d (FIG. 1). To uncouple the two receivers 26 and 28, the first receiver 26 of the first pot 20, which engages the first holding component 32, is moved in the direction opposite the direction indicated by the arrow 98. When the combination of the couplers 30 experiences any other type of loading, the couplers 30, together, hold the two pots 20 and 22 together. [38] Other embodiments are possible. For example, the first position in which the first holding component 32 is to be inserted into the first holding component 32, may be clocked relative to the first receiver’s hole 52 at an angle less than 20 degrees or more than 20 degrees. In addition, the amount that one rotates the coupler 30 to lock the first holding component 32 inside the hole 52 may be less than 70 degrees or more than 70 degrees.

[39] The preceding discussion is presented to enable a person skilled in the art to make and use the invention. Various modifications to the embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the generic principles herein may be applied to other embodiments and applications without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Thus, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiments shown, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and features disclosed herein.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1 . A crab pot for capturing a crab and other animals in the water, the crab pot comprising: a frame defining an interior region; an entrance through which a crab or other animal enters the interior region; a mesh coupled with the frame that traps the crab or other animal in the interior region once the crab or other animal is in the interior region; and a receiver coupled with the frame and operable to receive a coupler such that when the crab pot is positioned next to another, similar crab pot, and the coupler is received by the receiver of both crab pots, the coupler holds both crab pots together.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the frame has a rectangular shape.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein the mesh includes rope woven into a net.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein the receiver is permanently fixed to the frame.

5. The device of claim 1 wherein the receiver is releasably attached to the frame.

6. The device of claim 1 wherein: the frame has a rectangular shape having eight corners, and the receiver is located at one of the frame’s comers.

7. The device of claim 1 wherein the receiver includes: a plate having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface, and a hole that extends through the plate from the first surface to the second surface The device of claim 1 wherein the receiver is coupled with the frame such that when the two crab pots are positioned side-by-side, the coupler may be received by the receiver of both crab pots to hold both crab pots together. The device of claim 1 wherein the receiver is coupled with the frame such that when the two crab pots are positioned one on top of the other, the coupler may be received by the receiver of both crab pots to hold both crab pots together. The device of claim 1 wherein the crab pot includes: a first receiver coupled with the frame such that when the two crab pots are positioned next to each other, the coupler may be received by the receiver of both crab pots to prevent one of the crab pots from moving relative to the other crab pot in a first direction, and a second receiver coupled with the frame such that when the two crab pots are positioned next to each other, a second coupler may be received by the second receiver of both crab pots to prevent one of the crab pots from moving relative to the other crab pot in a second direction that is perpendicular to the first direction. The device of claim 1 wherein the receiver includes a hole that the coupler extends through when the receiver receives the coupler. The crab pot of claim 1 wherein the receiver is movable relative to the frame to facilitate receiving the coupler. A method for coupling a crab pot with another crab pot, the method comprising: positioning a receiver of a crab pot next to a receiver of another, similar crab pot; receiving a coupler with the receiver of one of the crab pots; while the coupler is received by the receiver of one of the crab pots, receiving the coupler with the receiver of the other crab pot. The method of claim 13 wherein positioning the receiver of the crab pot includes moving the receiver relative to the crab pot’s frame. The method of claim 13 wherein positioning the receiver of the crab pot includes positioning the crab pot side-by-side with the other crab pot. The method of claim 13 wherein positioning the receiver of the crab pot includes positioning the crab pot on top of the other crab pot. The method of claim 13 wherein receiving a coupler with the receiver of one of the crab pots includes a coupler that extends through a hole of the receiver. The method of claim 13 wherein receiving a coupler with the receiver of one of the crab pots includes: receiving with a first receiver a first coupler that, when the first coupler is received by the other crab pot, prevents one of the crab pots from moving relative to the other crab pot in a first direction, and receiving with a second receiver a second coupler that, when the second coupler is received by the other crab pot, prevents one of the crab pots from moving relative to the other crab pot in a second direction that is perpendicular to the first direction. A system for coupling a crab pot with another crab pot, the system comprising: a first crab pot having a first frame and a first receiver coupled with the first frame; a second crab pot having a second frame and a second receiver coupled with the second frame; and a coupler that is received by the first receiver and the second receiver to hold the first crab pot and the second crab pot together The system of claim 19 wherein the first receiver includes a hole that the coupler extends through to receive the coupler.

15 The system of claim 19 wherein the second receiver includes a hole that the coupler extends through to receive the coupler. The system of claim 19 wherein when the coupler is received by the first receiver and the second receiver, the crab pots are side by side. The system of claim 19 wherein when the coupler is received by the first receiver and the second receiver, one of the crab pots is on top of the other crab pot. The system of claim 19 wherein: the first crab pot includes a third receiver, the second crab pot includes a fourth receiver, when the coupler is received by the first receiver and the second receiver, the coupler prevents the first crab pot and the second crab pot from moving relative each other in a first direction, and when a second coupler is received by the third receiver and the fourth receiver, the second coupler prevents the first crab pot and the second crab pot from moving relative each other in a second direction that is perpendicular to the first direction.

16