10th Annual Abandoned Crab Trap Removal

Title: 10th Annual Abandoned Crab Trap Removal
Location: Various locations, including six spots in Galveston Bay
Link out: Click here
Description: Hoping to add to the pile of more than 27,500 derelict crab traps hauled from Texas bays since 2002, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department officials are gearing up for the 10th abandoned crab trap removal effort Feb. 18-27.

To participate, volunteers can arrange to pickup free tarps, gloves, trap hooks and additional information at their local TPWD Coastal Fisheries field stations. TPWD requests volunteers’ who remove traps record and submit information about the number they collect as well as any sightings of diamond-backed terrapins.

During this 10-day period, all Texas bays will be closed to crabbing with traps. Any traps left in a bay will be assumed to be abandoned and considered “litter” under state law, which allows volunteers to legally remove any traps they find. Prior to the 77th Legislature authorizing the abandoned crab trap removal program, only the trap’s owner or a Texas game warden could legally remove a crab trap. Game wardens still collect more than 2,500 illegal traps annually, but many more remain in the water to foul shrimpers’ nets, snag fishermen’s lines, accidently trap fish (called “ghost fishing”) and create an unsightly view.

Galveston Bay – TPWD coordinator Bill Balboa (281) 534-0110

Jones Lake State Ramp (Fat Boys) — Facilitated & trap drop-off site
TPWD Dickinson Marine Lab-1502 FM 517 E, Dickinson — Trap drop-off site
Seabrook SH 146 Bridge Public Boat Ramp — Trap drop-off site
Fort Anahuac County Park Boat Ramp — Facilitated & trap drop-off site
Chocolate Bayou State Boat Ramp- FM 2004 — Facilitated & trap drop-off site
Pier 30 Bait and Tackle-1617 E. Hwy 332, Freeport — Trap drop-off site

Start Date: 2011-02-18
End Date: 2011-02-27