Volunteers worked in Lake Pontchartrain, Lafitte to remove abandoned traps, LDWF says
More than 2,500 traps were retrieved last month in two separate events on Lake Pontchartrain and near Lafitte during the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries’ annual Derelict Crab Trap Rodeo.
The Lake Pontchartrain cleanup, headed by the Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation, was based out of Pelican Pointe Marina in Orleans Parish on February 13 and resulted in 1,386 old traps taken from the water.
“Picking up the ghost traps is hard, but very rewarding work,” said John Lopez, with LPBF. “We thank all the volunteers and sponsors who support this worthwhile effort.”
The Barataria Basin cleanup, headed by the Barataria-Terrebonne National Estuary Program, was staged out of Jean Lafitte Harbor in Jefferson Parish on February 20 and resulted in 1,194 traps removed.
“Thanks to everyone who helped with the 2016 Derelict Crab Trap Rodeo,” said Seth Moncrief, with BTNEP. “It was a great effort that removed four 30-yard dumpsters worth of traps from the waters near Lafitte.”
LDWF initiated the volunteer-based Derelict Crab Trap Removal Program in 2004 to address removal of derelict and abandoned crab traps. The program is funded in part by the sale of Louisiana commercial and recreational crab fishing licenses. Since the program’s inception, volunteers have assisted in removing nearly 28,000 traps.
Removal of these traps is imperative since they increase ghost-fishing mortality of blue crabs and other species captured incidentally, interfere with other commercial fishing gear types, create navigational hazards and reduce visual appeal of the environment, according to an LDWF news release.
