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Home > Current News > 2009

News: 2009

LDWF Removes Abandoned Crab Traps in Portions of Terrebonne and Lafourche Parishes
Posted: 5/28/09

Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Marine Fisheries Division biologists based from the Houma Area Field Station conducted abandoned crab trap removal operations during February and March resulting in the removal and disposal of 788 derelict crab traps.   According to Vince Guillory, Biologist Manager, who has led all LDWF trap clean-ups, traps were removed in portions of Lake Mechant, Sister Lake, Lost Lake and Bayou Terrebonne located in Terrebonne Parish and Little Lake located west of Leeville in Lafourche Parish. 

Unlike previous crab trap clean-ups, this year’s clean-up did not involve regulatory actions which would have temporarily closed these areas to the use of crab traps for the purpose of removing crab traps.  Past trap clean-up programs utilized temporary trap closures in problem areas during limited periods ranging from 9-14 days and solicited volunteers to assist with trap removal.  However, volunteer participation in recent clean-ups has declined to levels which LDWF reasoned did not warrant a trap closure this year which would also minimize impacts to crab fishermen and program administrative costs.  LDWF utilized an approach that focused on removing derelict crab traps in waters frequently traveled by fisheries biologists while conducting biological sampling and monitoring. 

LDWF Marine Fisheries Biologist Heath Kramer who has pulled, crushed and stacked countless abandoned crab traps since the program began in 2004 noted that “removing these traps is personally rewarding.  Not only does their removal benefit the crab fishery but also reduces potential navigational risks for recreational and commercial fishermen and boaters.  Ghost fishing, a term referencing an unseen cycle of mortality of blue crabs and other organisms that enter and perish within abandoned traps is reduced with removal of abandoned traps.”

Since 2004, LDWF together with individual volunteers and volunteer organizations has successfully removed and disposed of 17,972 abandoned and derelict crabs.  The abandoned crab trap removal program’s success relies heavily on volunteer participation and any volunteers or organizations interested in participating in future crab trap clean-ups are encouraged to contact Martin Bourgeois, LDWF Marine Fisheries Biologist at 225 765-2401.

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