PERMITTED DERELiCT TRAP REMOVAL

Derelict crab traps, often referred to as "ghost traps," are a significant environmental issue in Florida. These traps are abandoned, lost, or otherwise discarded in marine environments, continuing to trap and kill marine life indiscriminately.

Touching or moving traps without authorization is a third-degree felony (Florida Administrative Code 68B-55).

IRB Trash Tribe is permitted to remove derelict crab traps from the Florida waterways.

2024 is our first permitted year and we are looking forward to preserving our marine ecosystem, saving lives of untargeted species and working with the local fisheries to get the retrieved derelict traps back to their owners if possible as we know its costly and a lot of hard work goes into commercial and recreational crabbing. We respect our local fishing community and encourage all anglers to practice sustainable fishing habits.

Manatee rescued from Clearwater Bay November 2023, dragging 5 stone crab traps.

Derelict trap impacts on the envirONMENT

Marine Life Mortality

Marine Animal Entanglement

Marine Life Mortality

Continues to catch crabs, fish, and other marine creatures, leading to unnecessary deaths.

Habitat Damage

Marine Animal Entanglement

Marine Life Mortality

Can cause physical damage to sensitive habitats like coral reefs and seagrass beds.

Marine Animal Entanglement

Physical Injury: Traps and lines can cause cuts, abrasions, and amputations.
Restricted Movement: Entangled animals may have difficulty swimming, hunting, or escaping predators.
Starvation: Trapped animals often cannot forage for food.
Drowning: Species that need to surface, like sea turtles and mammals, may drown if unable to free themselves.
Energy Depletion: Continuous struggle to free themselves can exhaust animals, leading to death.

PERMITTED DERELiCT TRAP REMOVAL

Derelict trap impacts on the envirONMENT

Marine Life Mortality

Marine Animal Entanglement

Marine Life Mortality

Habitat Damage

Marine Animal Entanglement

Marine Life Mortality

Marine Animal Entanglement

Marine Animal Entanglement

Marine Animal Entanglement

Navigation Hazard

Navigation Hazard

Marine Animal Entanglement

Economic Losses

Navigation Hazard

Economic Losses

Photo gallery of retrieved traps and marine animal impacts

PERMITTED DERELiCT TRAP REMOVAL

Derelict trap impacts on the envirONMENT

Marine Life Mortality

Marine Animal Entanglement

Marine Life Mortality

Habitat Damage

Marine Animal Entanglement

Marine Life Mortality

Marine Animal Entanglement

Marine Animal Entanglement

Marine Animal Entanglement

Navigation Hazard

Navigation Hazard

Marine Animal Entanglement

Economic Losses

Navigation Hazard

Economic Losses

Photo gallery of retrieved traps and marine animal impacts

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