Florida Trap Retrieval Program

Florida Trap Retrieval Program
Juli B. Dodson

Trap retrieval was originally established in 1985 to remove traps left in the water at the end of each fishing season and to reduce illegal harvest. Traps are either lost during a force of nature that moves them from their original vicinity of deployment or abandon by fishermen at the end of the season.

Thru statutory authority, the Commission implements a closed season lobster and stone crab trap retrieval. The trap owners, those that have a written agreement with another fishermen to pull their gear filed with the Commission, Commission employees or approved employees are authorized to retrieve a trap. Unauthorized handling of traps may result in an administrative penalty up to $5,000, a 24 month suspension of license privileges (trap molestation) and/or the permanent revocation of license privileges (trap theft or theft of the trap contents).

“Trap retrieval” requires scheduling and completing each trip in a designated area, disposing of debris, and completion of work vouchers and Commission retrieval observation records. During a trap retrieval trip, an FWC observer records the area patrolled, the number of traps retrieved, and the crawfish or stone crab endorsement number indicated on each trap retrieved. All buoys, ropes, and plastics are removed from the traps and returned to shore for proper disposal at a county landfill. The disabled trap is disposed of at sea within specifically designated coordinates approved by the Commission. Plastic and wire traps are returned to shore for resale to the original owner or disposal in a landfill. Trap owners frequently do not purchase their retrieved wire or plastic traps.

In 1985, the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Florida Marine Patrol (FMP) officers retrieved closed season traps using DNR vessels and pulling traps by hand.

In 1993, Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) became responsible for the trap retrieval program when DNR and the Department of Environmental Regulation merged to become DEP and FMP officers continued to retrieve closed season traps.

In 1996, DEP’s Marine Research Institute and Fisheries Management offices began management of the retrieval program and contracted with individual commercial fishermen for reimbursement of landfill fees and some fuel costs with FMP officers aboard to document the trap information. This information may result in the assessment of a $10 per trap retrieval fee to the trap owner. These fees are deposited in the Marine Conservation Trust Fund and dedicated to the operation of the trap retrieval program. Any fees collected as a result of these assessments were used to fund the retrieval efforts in the following year.

In 1998, following the Ground Hog Day Storm, Organized Fishermen of Florida (OFF), a commercial fishing organization and a group of volunteers retrieved traps by airboat from the Lower Keys and a second group of commercial fishermen retrieved traps from the Marquesas.

In 2000, DEP and the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary (FKNMS) contracted with commercial fishing organizations to retrieve approximately 11,637 traps in deep and shallow water, as well as shoreline debris, using funding provided by Federal Emergency Management Assistance (FEMA). During the 2000 Florida legislative session, the fishing industry and fishery managers successfully established a fee for the Stone Crab trap license which dedicated $25 of each fee toward the trap retrieval program and the license holder to a retrieval fee “waiver” for 5 traps per license issued.

In 2002, FWC posted a call for proposals and OFF was awarded the contract for trap retrieval.

In 2004, FWC’s Marine Fisheries office is responsible for the trap retrieval program. Fishermen are paid per trap thru a contract with OFF. Trap retrieval is traditionally operated on an annual legislative appropriation of approximately $40,000. Recent funding thru legislative appropriation of $100,000 from Stone Crab revenue will support an expanded statewide trap retrieval program using the same approach. Since the Keys area is the only trap retrieval program for Florida, this funding will be utilized for the expansion of the traditional trap retrieval program within 3 separate regions (outside of the Keys). These retrieval programs will be awarded to vendors thru a formal call for proposals which will be posted in the fall. The specifications for retrieval will vary due to changes in staff and volunteers and the need to successfully establish volunteer effort necessary in order to reduce the costs associated with this program.

Pursuant to Section 370.143, Florida Statutes, a fee of $10 per abandoned trap is assessed to the trap owner of each trap retrieved from waters during the closed season. These fees are deposited in the Marine Conservation Trust Fund and dedicated to the operation of the trap retrieval program. Historically, the trap retrieval program has had a budget of approximately $40,000. During the 2000 Florida legislative session, the fishing industry and fishery managers successfully established a fee for Stone Crab trap licenses and dedicated $25 of each fee collected to cover the cost of trap cleanup. An additional fee of $25 was established for the Crawfish endorsement during the 2004 legislative session. These $25 fee increases entitle the license holder to a retrieval fee “waiver” for 5 traps per license issued. If a license holder has both a Stone Crab and Crawfish license then a fee “waiver” of 10 traps would apply to any traps retrieved during the retrieval program regardless of whether the traps are Stone Crab or Crawfish. By paying the additional license fees 2 @ $25 for a total of $50, a license holder has “invested” $50 for $100 worth of traps. 10 traps at $10 per trap retrieval fee totals $100 if charged without current endorsements.

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Trap Retrieval and Debris Removal Program