Derelict Crab Pots in North Carolina Waters: Effects on Diamondback Terrapin Populations
Atlantic; 2008
Background | Partners | Benefits of the Project | Photos | 1-pager
Background
Derelict crab pots pose a major threat to diamondback terrapins (Malaclemys terrapin) and other marine life and impact local fisheries economically. Each year it is estimated that over a million crab pots are fished in North Carolina and of those, approximately 17% are abandoned. Estimates from Texas have suggested that the fishing lifetime of a derelict crab pot can be up to 20 years. This project, coordinated by NOAA's Southeast Fisheries Science Center, will provide an overview of the issues involved in crab pot sighting and removal and will determine the person-time and methodologies required to scale up to an effective and larger program.
Air, water, and land-based surveys in North Carolina coastal areas will assess the magnitude and variants of the problem through inventory of ghost crab pot densities and determination of geographic differences in species by-catch. The information gained will be used both for an educational awareness campaign to generate local support for reducing derelict crab pot numbers and for the development of a derelict crab pot removal working plan. The information will also be used to help influence changes in legislation and regulation to lessen the future impact of abandoned crab pots. Determination of appropriate, cost-efficient transport and disposal methods will also be a part of the project.
Partners
Primary Partners: Audubon North Carolina and The Tortoise Reserve
Other Partners: North Carolina (NC) Department of Transportation, NC Division of Parks and Recreation, Davidson College, NC Aquariums (Pine Knoll Shores, Ft. Fisher), NC Museum of Forestry, NC State University Herp Club, NC Herp Society, Duke University Marine Lab, University of North Carolina Wilmington, Biology Department, Camp Lejune, NC Marine Fisheries, NC Wildlife Resources Commission, NC State Museum, and private sector including waterfront land owners and local fishermen.
Benefits of the Project
- Evaluate various techniques for inventory, locating, removing, and disposing of abandoned crab pots.
- Document by-catch of abandoned crab pots and its ecological and economic impacts.
- Identify ecological hot spots for a focused first effort in pot removal in subsequent years,
- Establish a working plan for future abandoned crab pot removal.
- Educate recreational and commercial crabbers as well as the general public about issues related to abandoned crab pots.
- Establish working partnerships with others to resolve abandoned crab pot issues.
- Help to change regulations to lessen the impact of abandoned crab pots.
- Enhance aesthetic appearance of coastal communities by that rely on tourist activities by removal of crab pots and other abandoned fishing gear.
- Set the stage for removal of abandoned crab pots that are competing with local crabbing efforts.
- Help North Carolina's declining terrapin population through abandoned pot removal issue awareness programs.
Photos
Abandoned crap pots near Ocracoke Island. Photo courtesy of Tortoise Reserve.
Terrapins captured in abandoned crab pot. Photo courtesy of Walker Golder.
Monofilament line is reported regularly by scuba divers visiting Stetson Bank. Illustration courtesy of S. Alexandra Siess.
1-pager
Download the 1-pager handout (pdf 372KB) on this project here.
This program is funded through NOAA's Ocean Service, Office of Response & Restoration, Marine Debris Program.
