Ghost pots

The article talks about plastic, but not really the cycle of dead life catching live animals, who die, attracting more animals

Regarding the alleged illegality of clearing ghost pots, I wonder if they can give everyone a year to claim their pots, then anything without a pot marker is fair game for clean-up.
I bet the blackfish bite improves by orders of magnitude after that.

There are hundreds of thousands of these deadly pots scattered along the seafloor of the sound. The majority of them ended up there due to the collapse of the lobster population. It was deemed more convenient to leave the pots untouched. However, the states of New York and Connecticut have taken the initiative to compensate the same lobstermen for their efforts in recovering these pots.

This week, I will be releasing a highly informative podcast featuring an expert on the matter. He leads the team dedicated to the retrieval of these pots.

Regarding the alleged illegality of clearing ghost pots, I wonder if they can give everyone a year to claim their pots, then anything without a pot marker is fair game for clean-up.
I bet the blackfish bite improves by orders of magnitude after that.

Multiple studies have demonstrated the significant positive impact that the removal of these pots has had on our fisheries.

Here's a few facts on the effects of ghost pots:

Between 800,000 and 1.2 million abandoned, derelict lobster traps sit at the bottom of the Sound, an ecological and economic mess that has spurred clean-up efforts by a coalition made up of scientists, environmentalists and the watermen who continue to make their living on the Sound.

Within the abandoned traps, a menagerie of sea creatures such as fish, lobsters, crabs and mollusks still have the potential to become trapped, slowly starving to death or becoming bait for more animals in a cycle referred to as “ghost fishing.” – CT Insider

Ghost gear is a significant global problem, with nearly a ton of gear lost for every 125 tons of fish caught, causing significant economic loss. Among lobster fisheries in New England, the loss rate for lobster pots is estimated to be 10-30 percent annually. The number of licensed pots set annually in Maine waters alone reaches close to 3 million, leaving an estimated annual ghost pot accrual of 300,000 per year.

Ridiculous situation. They need to stop futzing around and get that junk out of the Sound. Pull the pots and then figure out if ownership can be established. Then fine the owners that abandoned them. But I bet most of the original owners are long gone, one way or the other.

Meantime the derelict pots fish on . . .

Here's a link to the podcast, and for those of you that dislike podcasts, you will also find a full-text transcript.

if a pot is in the bottom for any length of time, without any bait and with marine growth closing the trap door, that should make the pot dead to whatever except octopus perhaps… nonetheless, removing ghost post is important…

a high concern, disgust of mine is the amount of plastic and non biodegradable junk that sinks to the bottom: plastic bottles, etc, yuck…

i often wonder at our shorelines , how many more years will the buildup of non biogreafdable go unchecked before our elected officials take notice…blah

Breezy Point is a disgrace: a perfect example… cellfish…
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Ridiculous situation. They need to stop futzing around and get that junk out of the Sound. Pull the pots and then figure out if ownership can be established. Then fine the owners that abandoned them. But I bet most of the original owners are long gone, one way or the other.

Meantime the derelict pots fish on . . .

I'm asking, because I do not know. But don't you need a license to lobster fish and drop pots?

Did they have to register their area for the pots?

Lobster fishing is very territorial. Some people have fished the same area for generations.
If you drop pots in "their" area. They will send a message that it is there territory and you need to move.

The more gentle messages are opening all the doors to the traps. If that doesn't work. You pots will be "moved" out of
their territory.

You may or may not be able to find them when they are moved
Yes, the people who lobster for a living contribute to the problem

ya know, this unusual, unclaimed driftwood raft, became a perfect trap for floating plastics and such… wouldn’t that be wonderful if someone came up with a design of this raft kind to collect debris with a regular clean up schedule… could be used in high garbage areas, NYHarbor, Jamaica bay, etc… perhaps on a experimental basis, gotta use an anchor too… cellfish…
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The issue of over a million “ghost” lobster pots in Long Island Sound poses serious environmental challenges. These abandoned traps continue to harm marine life through “ghost fishing,” contribute to ocean pollution, and create navigational hazards. Addressing this problem is vital and requires concerted efforts from the fishing industry, regulators, and environmental groups to implement sustainable practices and clean-up initiatives. Solutions like biodegradable traps and better tracking systems could help mitigate the issue.