New Program Tackles the Plague of Abandoned Crab and Lobster Traps, Which Can Reduce Harvests and Harm Other Fish in Coastal Waters

The U.S. government has launched a new program to combat the problem of abandoned crab and lobster traps, which can harm marine life and reduce harvests in coastal waters from Maine to Alaska.

The Nationwide Fishing TRAP Program

(Photo : OLI SCARFF/AFP via Getty Images)

The new program is called the Nationwide Fishing TRAP Program, with TRAP standing for Trap Removal, Assessment & Prevention.

It is funded by an $8 million grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to William & Mary's Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS), as per Phys.org.

The program will support efforts to remove derelict traps used to harvest blue, Dungeness, and stone crabs as well as the American and spiny species of lobsters.

It will also collect nationwide data on where the lost traps are found and the types of marine life that are impacted by them.

The data will be used to help inform future removal and prevention efforts throughout U.S. coastal waters, said Kirk Havens, who directs the Center for Coastal Resources Management at VIMS.

"Abandoned fishing gear is a worldwide problem that's been referred to as anything from 'ghost nets' to the 'land mines of the sea'," Havens said. "Just removing 10% of the traps from a hotspot area, you can increase a harvest significantly."

The benefits of removing derelict traps

Derelict traps are often dislodged by storms or passing boats, but they still attract and kill marine life.

Industry experts and scientists estimate commercial fishermen lose about 10% of their traps per year to bad weather, strong currents, and vessels that sever tie lines, as per abc News.

A 2001 study suggested that ghost fishing kills 4 million to 10 million blue crabs each year in Louisiana alone.

In the Chesapeake Bay alone, some 40 species have been caught in derelict blue crab traps, from rockfish and flounder to diving ducks, Havens said.

Removing derelict traps not only helps preserve marine life but also boosts the economic value of fisheries.

A 2016 study by VIMS found that a 6-year removal program in Virginia generated more than $20 million in harvest value.

Also Read: Protected Fishing Areas Allow Great White Sharks to Grow up to 20 Feet Long and Tiger Sharks to 16 Feet

The challenges of removing derelict traps

Coastal states have been battling the problem of derelict traps for decades, but there are still many challenges to overcome.

For example, experts estimated in 2014 that more than 12,000 crab pots were being lost in Washington state's Puget Sound every year, costing an estimated $700,000 in lost harvest revenue - as well as damaging the sea floor environment.

Derelict equipment is also a concern in Texas, where volunteers have removed more than 40,000 abandoned traps in the last 20 years.

Last year, federal funding was approved in Connecticut to begin removing some of the hundreds of thousands of derelict lobster traps left on the floor of the Long Island Sound.

Havens said the new program will launch a national competition to fund removal endeavors across the U.S., with priority given to areas with high concentrations of derelict traps and high potential for recovery.

He also said the program will work with fishermen and other stakeholders to develop best practices for preventing trap loss and promoting trap recovery.

"We want to work with the industry to find solutions that work for them," he said. "We're not here to tell them what to do, we're here to help them do it better."

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