Ghostpots
Crabbing and crab pots are ubiquitous throughout the waters of the
Eastern Shore of Virginia. Often, crab pots become lost; this may be due to a
boat propellor cutting the pot’s buoy line, the buoy line simply wearing out
through age, or the pot being displaced due to storms and wave action. Whatever
the cause, the derelict pot goes on catching crabs, and will also catch turtles
and small fish. This may continue for years, regardless of the state of the
crab pot, in effect becoming a perpetual killer. It also goes un-tended and
often unrecovered. Thus, it’s a ghostpot, or derelict pot.
Ghostpot Busters
Ghostpot Busters is an initiative of The Virginia Eastern Shorekeeper intended
to get the community involved in removing derelict crab pots from the coastal
waters of the Eastern Shore of Virginia. Ghostpot busting is a lot
of work, but fun with other volunteers, and, of course, rewarding. Getting out and getting dirty brings out the inner
8-year-old in all of us! At low tide we scout and mark derelict crab pots
from our kayaks; when the tide comes in we go back with the Shorekeeper patrol boat
to pull them out, then dispose of them. It’s not rocket science, but it is
effective, direct action to improve our waterways -- and a great excuse to get
on the water!
Since we started the Ghostpot Busters program a few years ago, the state of Virginia, as part of its Marine Debris Removal Program, began a short-term project to provide winter work to watermen by having them search for and retrieve derelict crab pots. This has been a great help to us on the Eastern Shore, as well as to other coastal Virginia areas. In the winters of 2009 and 2010, over 18,000 derelict crab pots were retrieved from Virginia waters in this program alone. This is a terrific result, but a staggering number of derelict crab pots, which underscores the extent of the problem that exists not only with trash in the water, but also with that trash’s killing potential.
To learn about the Marine Debris Removal Program, click here.
Advice For Using Active Crab Pots
There are three issues about active
crab pots that we’d like to call to your attention.
First, crab pots that are not lost
but that are in the water though not actively used or baited are also problems.
This is because such a pot will still catch and trap crabs and small fish, and
possibly turtles if they are not equipped with a turtle excluder. Most of the
animals will die in the trap, becoming an attractant to other animals,
especially crabs, and thus being a self-perpetuating problem.
Second, if you are actively working
a crab pot, you shold check it frequently, not only to remove the crabs that
you catch, but also to free any unintended captives. Don’t let the pot go for
more than two days without checking it. Daily checking is best.
Finally, if you use a turtle excluder,
you’ll minimize the catch of turtles, which do drown in a trap that is not checked
frequently. Read about the need for, and use of, turtle exclusion devices
(TEDs), here.
Get Involved
The Virginia Eastern Shorekeeper is always looking for opportunities to spread the word about what we do and why we do it. The Ghostpot Busters program is a perfect introduction to our mission, and a great way for kids of all ages to get involved. By getting school groups, youth groups, scouts, and other young people involved in creating colorful Ghostpot Busters Buoys (see photo above), we can help open their eyes to the unintentional consequences of poorly maintained and derelict crab pots. In the photo below, VES staffer Phyllis Tyndall talks to the public about derelict pots and TEDs. Teaching current crabbers and the next generation of crabbers about sustainable practices and their importance helps ensure that today’s solutions help prevent tomorrow’s problems. If you know about derelict crab pots in a particular area, or would like to get involved in a cleanup effort, please contact the Shorekeeper.
