Lobster Trap Debris in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary: Distribution, Abundance, Density, and Patterns of Accumulation

Lobster Trap Debris in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary: Distribution, Abundance, Density, and Patterns of Accumulation

2014 / Atlantic / research

Lobster Trap Debris in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary: Distribution, Abundance, Density, and Patterns of Accumulation

http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/19425120.2013.852638

Amy Uhrin, Thomas Matthews & Cynthia Lewis (2014) Lobster Trap Debris in
the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary: Distribution, Abundance,
Density, and Patterns of Accumulation, Marine and Coastal Fisheries:
Dynamics, Management, and Ecosystem Science, 6:1, 20-32
DOI:10.1080/19425120.2013.852638

Abstract
The fishery for spiny lobster Panulirus argus in the Florida Keys
National Marine Sanctuary is well chronicled, but little information is
available on the prevalence of lost or abandoned lobster traps. In 2007,
towed-diver surveys were used to identify and count pieces of trap
debris and any other marine debris encountered. Trap debris density
(debris incidences/ha) in historic trap-use zones and in representative
benthic habitats was estimated. Trap debris was not proportionally
distributed with fishing effort. Coral habitats had the greatest density
of trap debris despite trap fishers' reported avoidance of coral reefs
while fishing. The accumulation of trap debris on coral emphasizes the
role of wind in redistributing traps and trap debris in the sanctuary.
We estimated that 85,548±23,387 (mean±SD) ghost traps and
1,056,127±124,919 nonfishing traps or remnants of traps were present in
the study area. Given the large numbers of traps in the fishery and the
lack of effective measures for managing and controlling the loss of
gear, the generation of trap debris will likely continue in proportion
to the number of traps deployed in the fishery. Focused removal of
submerged trap debris from especially vulnerable habitats such as reefs
and hardbottom, where trap debris density is high, would mitigate key
habitat issues but would not address ghost fishing or the cost of lost gear.

http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/19425120.2013.852638

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