TPWD Crab Trap Cleanup
TPWD NEWS RELEASE:
AUSTIN —Each February for 18 years, countless volunteers spend 10 days on the water along the Texas coastline searching the bays for abandoned crab traps left to foul shrimpers’ nets, snag anglers’ lines, “ghost fish,” and create unsightly views. To date, they’ve hauled off more than 36,000 of these derelict traps.
Between Feb. 21 through March 1, Texas coastal waters will be closed to crabbing with wire mesh crab traps to facilitate the annual volunteer crab trap cleanup. Any traps left in bays — including traps tied to docks — will be assumed abandoned and considered “litter” under state law. This allows volunteers to legally remove any crab traps they find.
Volunteers are needed to assist in the coast-wide effort to remove the numerous traps that have been lost or abandoned since last year’s cleanup. To facilitate volunteer trap removal efforts, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) will provide crab trap drop-off sites at locations in each major bay system along the coast from 8 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Feb. 22, weather permitting. Additionally, at all sites, dumpsters or collection areas marked with banners will be available to receive traps for the duration of the closure. Volunteers may focus their efforts on Feb. 22 or work at their own pace anytime during the closure, but traps cannot be removed prior to Feb. 21 or after March 1.
The Coastal Conservation Association Texas, Coastal Bend Bays & Estuaries Program, Galveston Bay Foundation, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service are providing continued support to the crab trap removal program. Numerous other organizations and companies also are volunteering their services.
To participate, volunteers may pick up free tarps, gloves, trap hooks and additional information at their local TPWD Coastal Fisheries field stations. TPWD requests that volunteers who remove traps record and submit information about the number of traps they collect as well as documenting any sightings of diamondback terrapins.
All other legal means of crabbing will not be affected during the closure period for wire crab traps. For more information, contact your local TPWD Coastal Fisheries office or Zack Thomas at (512) 389-8448 or [email protected]
To learn more about the Texas Abandoned Crab Trap Removal Program’s history click on the link.
Images of previous abandoned crab trap clean ups can be found on the TPWD news images page.
2020 Crab Trap Drop-Off Sites
- SABINE LAKE – Local TPWD coordinator Carey Gelpi (409) 983-1104 (ext. 222)
- Pleasure Island Marina Boat Ramp – Non-facilitated trap drop-off site
- GALVESTON BAY – Local TPWD coordinator Christine Jensen (281) 534-0100
- Jones Lake State Ramp (Fat Boys) —Non- facilitated drop-off site
- Dickinson Bayou SH 146 — Non-facilitated trap drop-off site
- Fort Anahuac County Park Boat Ramp — Facilitated by Galveston Bay Foundation and trap drop-off site
- Chocolate Bayou State Boat Ramp FM 2004 — Non-facilitated trap drop-off site
- TPWD Dickinson Marine Lab — Non-facilitated trap drop-off site
- Stingaree Restaurant and Marina (Bolivar) — Facilitated by Galveston Bay Foundation and others, and trap drop-off site
- Christmas Bay boat ramp – Facilitated by the Christmas Bay Foundation
- MATAGORDA BAY– Local TPWD coordinator Leslie Hartman (361) 972-6253
- Mitchell Cut Boat (ICWW) Ramp @ Sargent – Non-facilitated trap drop-off site
- Matagorda Harbor at Matagorda – Non-facilitated trap drop-off site
- Railroad Park at Palacios – Non-facilitated trap drop-off site
- SAN ANTONIO BAY – Local TPWD coordinator Clint Troxler (361) 983-4425
- Charlie’s Bait Stand — Facilitated and trap drop-off site
- Port O’Connor TPWD Docks — Facilitated and trap drop-off site
- Austwell Public Boat Ramp – Facilitated by San Antonio Bay Foundation & trap drop-off site
- ARANSAS BAY – Local TPWD coordinator Evan Pettis (361) 729-5429
- Goose Island State Park Boat Ramp – Non-facilitated trap drop-off site
- CORPUS CHRISTI BAY – Local TPWD coordinator Tom Wagner (361) 729-2328
- South Conn Brown Harbor Public Ramp – Non-facilitated trap drop-off site (Bigelow Street,
- Aransas Pass, TX 78336)
- Ransom Channel Public Ramp – Non-facilitated trap drop-off site (Ransom Drive, Aransas Pass, TX 78336)
- UPPER LAGUNA MADRE – Local TPWD coordinator Holly Grand (361) 825-3353
- Bluff’s Landing Marina – Facilitated and trap drop-off site (4242 Laguna Shores Road,
- Corpus Christi, TX 78418)
- Kaufer-Hubert Memorial Boat Ramp – Non-facilitated trap drop-off site (FM 628 Exd Riviera, TX 78379)
- LOWER LAGUNA MADRE – Local TPWD coordinator Jason Ferguson (956) 350- 4490
- Adolfe Thomae County Park – Non-facilitated trap drop-off site
- Port Mansfield Navigation District Ramp – Non-facilitated trap drop-off site
Category: Saltwater Fly Fishing Texas, Science and Environmental, Texas Water Conservation
