2017 CRAB TRAP CLEANUP:  Feel the salty spray of the gulf 
breeze on your face when you volunteer to help rid the 
waters of ghost fishing …on Passport to Texas.  (Feb. 1)

This is Passport to Texas

Commercial crab fishermen use baited wire traps to lure 
their prey. Sometimes traps end up missing due to 
storms, or they are simply discarded. 

These traps continue “ghost fishing” for months or 
years—capturing fish and other marine creatures, 
including endangered species—taking an environmental 
and economic toll on gulf fisheries.

In February of 2002, TPW conducted the first abandoned 
crab trap removal program; and 2017 marks the 15th 
cleanup. During a 10-day period this month, volunteers 
like you, will join TPW staff and partners, in removing 
derelict traps. 

This year’s cleanup is February 17th through the 26th. The 
big cleanup “push” is Saturday, February 18 from 10 to 
noon. This is the only time citizens may remove these 
traps from gulf waters.

More than 32,000 derelict crab traps have been removed 
from the gulf since 2002, saving tens of thousands of 
marine organisms.

TPW and partners facilitate roughly 20 sites coast wide 
and provide disposal facilities, and supply volunteers 
with tarps, gloves, crab trap hooks and other items. 

To volunteer for this year’s program visit the 
Abandoned Crab Trap Removal page on the TPW 
website.

The Sport Fish restoration Program supports our series. 

For Texas Parks and Wildlife, I’m Cecilia Nasti.


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