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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