Lost and abandoned spiny lobster, stone crab and blue crab traps
have been identified as a problem in Florida's marine environment
by various stakeholder groups, including the commercial fishing
industry. Once traps become lost or abandoned, they may spark user
conflicts, "ghost fish" (continue to trap marine organisms until
traps degrade enough to allow escape), visually pollute, may cause
damage to sensitive habitats, and also become hazards to
navigation.
Traps may
remain in the water during a closed season for many reasons. They
can move during storms, making them difficult to locate; they may
be snagged by passing vessels and dragged to another area; or they
are illegally abandoned by their owners for various reasons.
The FWC currently has two programs dedicated to
removing lost and abandoned traps from state waters. The
Spiny Lobster, Stone Crab and Blue Crab Trap Retrieval
Program contracts commercial fishermen to remove fishable
traps from state waters during closed seasons, and the Derelict
Trap and Trap Debris Removal Program provides a
mechanism to authorize volunteer groups to collect derelict traps
and trap debris during open or closed seasons.
Tampering with traps, trap contents, lines or buoys
that do not belong to you (even if the traps are derelict or in the
water during a closed season), may result in a third degree felony
conviction, fines of up to $5,000 and the permanent revocation of
your fishing privileges.
Spiny Lobster, Stone Crab and Blue Crab Trap Retrieval
Program
This program is authorized pursuant to section
379.2424, Florida Statutes (F.S.), and is operated by the FWC to
target and remove spiny lobster, stone crab and blue crab traps
that remain in the water during the closed season for each fishery.
Fishery participant organizations are contracted to implement this
program, and are selected through a competitive-bid process. The
vendor with the lowest bid is selected, and payment is made based
on the number of traps retrieved and the number of retrieval trips
completed. A FWC observer is onboard for each retrieval trip and is
responsible for verifying the number of traps retrieved, and to
record license and location data from each trap retrieved. Traps
that are recovered as part of this program are destroyed and
disposed of. Pursuant to Section 379.368, F.S., a retrieval fee of
$10 per trap is assessed to the trap owner for each trap retrieved
as part of this program. These fees are dedicated to the operation
of the trap retrieval program.
The trap retrieval program is funded by commercial
saltwater license revenue and from retrieval fees collected. For
each spiny lobster (crawfish), stone crab and blue crab endorsement
(commercial license) issued, $25 of the endorsement fee is
dedicated to funding trap retrieval efforts. As a benefit, each
license holder is given a retrieval fee waiver for up to 5 traps
for each endorsement type held. For example, if a fisher has both a
stone crab endorsement and a crawfish endorsement, then they will
receive a waiver for the first 10 traps retrieved each calendar
year. If a fisher holds a stone crab endorsement, a crawfish
endorsement, and a blue crab endorsement, then they will receive a
waiver for the first 15 traps retrieved each calendar year.
Commercial licenses cannot be renewed until all retrieval fees have
been paid.
Links for additional information:
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