194 derelict crab staps removed from Citrus County coastal waters
Citrus County, Florida - According to the FWC, a recent effort - that utilized great partnerships, 14 marine vessels and the assistance of more than 30 volunteers - resulted in the removal of nearly 5,000 pounds of debris from coastal waters of Citrus County, Florida!
Volunteers met on the morning of Feb. 15 to coordinate the removal of derelict crab traps around the Ozello, Crystal River and the Inglis barge canal areas of Citrus County. After approximately 2.5 hours of slogging through mud and looking along the shoreline during low tide, 194 derelict crab traps were removed. After removal, the traps were counted, then crushed and carried to the county landfill. A grand total of 4,974 pounds of debris was removed.
Derelict traps often become navigational hazards to boaters. The Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission estimates that 250,000 derelict blue crab traps are added to Gulf of Mexico waters each year. Once the traps have been separated from an identification float, they are difficult to see from the surface of the water, and oysters, algae and barnacles that grow on the traps can make that even worse.
In addition to navigational hazards, these traps continue to trap marine life, which eventually die. This is commonly referred to as “ghost fishing.” Trap contents encountered during this removal effort included sheepshead, blue and stone crabs, shrimp, and crown conch. Volunteers removed these animals from the traps and returned them to the water before the traps were brought to shore.
To help address this widespread problem, the State of Florida allows Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission-approved trap removal efforts. Marine debris cleanup efforts remove navigational hazards from local waters and contribute to keeping aquatic preserves pristine for future generations.
All organized clean-up events must have prior approval. Learn more about programs to retrieve derelict traps and remove other marine debris here: https://myfwc.com/fishing/saltwater/trap-debris/?utm_content=&utm_medium=email&utm_name=&utm_source=govdelivery&utm_term=campaign.
Law enforcement officers with the FWC and Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and biologists with the Fish and Wildlife Research Institute volunteered to assist in this effort, hosted by local aquatic preserve offices. The other partners and aquatic preserves included Office of Greenways and Trails (OGT), University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS), Sea Grant, DEP's St. Martins Marsh Aquatic Preserve, Nature Coast Aquatic Preserve, and Crystal River Preserve State Park.