Derelict Crab Pot Bycatch

ByCatchLost or abandoned fishing gear can continue to capture and kill many different animals.  In the Chesapeake Bay, the derelict crab pot removal program conducted during the winter over 6 years documented over 31,000 animals, representing over 40 different species, captured or killed in crab pots.

 

Marine Debris Removal Project
Season

2008 - 2009

2009 - 2010

2010 - 2011

2011 - 2012

2012 - 2013

2013 - 2014

Days Worked 48 49 49 24 30 32
Number of Watermen 58 65 70 70 4 7
Bycatch
Female Blue Crab 1875 4526 6660 1701 632 582
Male Blue Crab 1414 3504 4368 1350 364 191
Oyster Toadfish 856 797 1003 660 144 207
Whelk 300 360 299 107 0 31
Black Seabass 63 218 151 27 0 32
Atlantic Croaker 27 120 164 11 2 4
White Perch 65 51 38 34 20 3
Catfish 27 64 4 79 5 1
American Eel 22 44 76 43 16 19
Spot 15 31 38 12 0 0
Flounder sp. 9 29 12 6 0 4
Turtle (terrapin) 19 19 3 7 0 15
Tautog 6 20 9 17 2 4
Black Drum 0 0 2 2 0 0
Bluefish 0 0 1 0 0 0
Bowfin 0 1 0 0 0 0
Butterfish 0 0 2 0 8 0
Cunner 0 1 0 0 0 0
Duck (general) 0 2 0 0 0 2
Hogchoker 0 2 0 0 0 0
Horseshoe Crab 3 0 1 0 0 1
Lobster 1 0 1 0 0 0
Menhaden 1 0 0 1 0 1
Merganser 1 0 0 0 0 0
Minnow 0 0 0 39 0 0
Mullet 0 4 0 0 0 0
Muskrat 1 0 0 3 0 0
Pinfish 0 0 0 2 0 5
Pigfish 0 8 0 11 0 0
Porgy 0 0 15 0 0 0
Puffer 0 4 17 3 0 0
Rappa Whelk 3 1 3 0 0 0
Red Drum 4 1 0 0 1 1
Sheepshead 7 0 15 9 14 27
Sole 0 0 2 1 0 0
Spadefish 0 0 10 1 0 0
Striped Burrfish 0 0 2 0 0 1
Stargazer 0 1 0 4 0 0
Striped Bass 6 1 3 3 2 0
Unknown Spp. 65 18 11 4 2 3
Total Bycatch 4790 9827 12850 4137 1212 1134