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Recovery and Subsequent Disposal of Ghost Black Sea Bass Traps in the U.S. South Atlantic Fishery Management Area

Atlantic; 2007

Background | Partners | Benefits of the Project | Photos and Video | 1-pager

Background

The southern Black Sea Bass (BSB) (Centropristis striata) stock has been declared “overfished and currently overfishing” by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) National Marine Fisheries Service. BSB fishing is conducted on hard bottom; the locations where the fish occur are well known. In the South Atlantic most traps are set in depths between 40 and 100 feet, depths well within the reach of SCUBA survey.

To date no effort has been made to collect or quantify the numbers of traps lost in North Carolina waters nor has anyone attempted a diving survey of areas where traps are known to have been lost. This project employs towed video and recovery divers to undertake systematic trap removal using a statistically sound survey design.

The expected outcomes of this project include:

  1. Estimation of occurrence, configuration, and possible effects of such gear on fish stocks through unreported mortality
  2. Assessment of hard bottom habitat damage through video documentation
  3. Trap removal to prevent further ghost fishing, navigation hazards, and whale and turtle interactions
  4. Outreach and education to fishermen, divers, and the public

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Partners

  • NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service, Southeast Fisheries Science Center, Beaufort Laboratory
  • Anthony Austin, Commercial Fisherman
  • George and Robert Purifoy, Olympus Dive Center, Morehead City, NC
  • North Carolina Maritime Museum, Beaufort, NC,
  • North Carolina Aquariums (Roanoke Island, Pine Knoll Shores, and Fort Fisher)
  • Marine Grafics
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Benefits of the Project

  • Removal of Black Sea Bass (BSB) traps yield cleaner underwater habitat; no ghost fishing traps

  • Reuse and recycling of recovered traps yields less garbage sent to landfills and serves as an educational tool

  • Help end overfishing of BSB stocks by presenting project results to the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council with recommendations for BSB fishery management

  • Produce and distribute pamphlets to create a broader awareness of derelict fishing gear and encourage more public participation and environmental stewardship

  • Demonstrate scientifically sound marine debris collection and reach broad scientific audience through publication in peer-reviewed scientific journal

  • Establish a partnership with North Carolina Maritime Museum and Aquariums o highlight importance of removing derelict fishing gear and emphasize how people can help through sharing information and producing a DVD

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Photos and Video

Derelict fish trap underwater.
Underwater derelict Black Sea Bass trap.

Removed derelict fish trap
Removed derelict Black Sea Bass trap.


Video taken underwater of a derelict Black Sea Bass trap on the ocean floor.

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1-pager

Download the 1-pager handout (pdf 908KB) on this project here.

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This program is funded through NOAA's Ocean Service, Office of Response & Restoration, Marine Debris Program.

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