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Home > Current News > 2004

News: 2004

Crab Trap Removal Project Planned For Western Vermilion Bay
Posted: 4/2/04

Following the highly successful late winter derelict crab trap sweep held in the upper Terrebonne Bay estuary, the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) will implement another trap removal project and associated closure this spring in the western portion of Vermilion Bay and surrounding marshes.

All crab traps remaining within the closure area during the closure period will be considered abandoned. Abandoned traps may be removed by anyone, must be brought to disposal sites designated by the Secretary of the LDWF, and may not be possessed outside of the closed area. However, unserviceable crab traps may be possessed by shrimp fishermen outside of the closed area when in compliance with R. S. 56:332, which requires a shrimper who catches an unserviceable crab trap to keep it on board his vessel and properly dispose of it at a designated disposal site if one is available.

The prohibition on the use of crab traps will begin at 6:00 a.m. either five days prior to or on the opening date of the spring inshore shrimp season in Vermilion Bay. The opening dates of the spring inshore shrimp season (to be fixed by the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission at its May 6, 2004, meeting) are key to the beginning of this temporary prohibition. If sufficient time is available for crab fishermen to remove traps between the Commission meeting and the opening of the inshore shrimp season, then the trap closure will commence five days prior to the opening of the shrimp season. Otherwise, the trap closure will begin on the opening date of the spring inshore shrimp season in Vermilion Bay.

The closure areas begins from a point at the intersection of the Acadiana Navigational Channel and the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, thence southwest along the Acadiana Navigational Channel red buoy line to the red navigational marker number 12 on the Marsh Island shoreline near Southwest Pass, thence south along the eastern shore of Southwest Pass to a position which intersects the inside/outside shrimp line as defined in R.S. 56:495, thence west along the inside/outside shrimp line to the western shore of Freshwater Bayou, thence north along the western shore of Freshwater Bayou to its intersection with the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, and thence east along the northern shore of the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway to the intersection of the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway and the eastern shore of the Acadiana Navigational Channel. More information and a map of the closure area are available at
http://www.blue-crab.net/dtrapvolunteer1.html .

The trap closure in western Vermilion Bay is part of a Gulf-wide effort funded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Habitat Restoration Center and coordinated through the Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission. Louisiana Sea Grant, Barataria-Terrebonne National Estuary Program, Louisiana Crab Task Force, Coastal Conservation Association, and the Louisiana Wildlife Federation have been working with the LDWF in developing plans for the Vermilion Bay trap sweep.

The project is a positive for the fishery and other user groups. Removing derelict traps from the water will reduce navigational hazards, user group conflicts with shrimp fishermen and mortality of blue crabs and other marine organisms.

The open waters of Vermilion Bay are publicly owned, but a portion of the closure area includes privately owned property. This trap removal project does not provide authority to access and remove traps from private property. Authorization to access privately owned property can only be provided by individual landowners.

"Commercial and recreational shrimp and crab gear license holders residing in parishes surrounding the Vermilion Bay area should be on the lookout for a mail-out specifying designated trap disposal sites and providing additional information" said Paul Cook, Vermilion Bay area biologist supervisor.

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