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Abandoned Crab Trap Removal Program
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Description
In 2001, the 77th Texas Legislature passed SB 1410, giving Texas Parks and Wildlife authority to declare a 10-day closed season for crabbing during February. During this window, abandoned crab traps, while still private property, could be legally removed from Texas bays. This allowed hundreds of volunteers in airboats, flat-bottom boats and kayaks to fan out across coastal marshes to remove this “ghost-fishing” gear, saving thousands of blue crabs, diamondback terrapins, red drum, and speckled trout.
Location Notes
A good location for a marker could be at the Texas Parks and Wildlife docks in Port O'Connor, the home base for Ronnie Luster, a volunteer leader of the cleanup, and a key drop-off site for the collected traps.