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Volunteers Jump In To Remove Crab Traps From Tampa Bay

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By YVETTE C. HAMMETT | The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 20, 2009

RUSKIN - Community volunteers are revving their airboat engines for another day of service, planning to remove abandoned crab traps threatening marine life in Cockroach Bay.

On Saturday, members of Tampa Bay Watch and the Florida Airboat Association will participate in the crab trap removal in the southeastern portion of Tampa Bay. Ten airboats and crews will locate and retrieve the traps to reduce entrapment of marine life, including blue crabs, stone crabs, fish, dolphins and sea turtles.

Removing the traps also will reduce boating hazards, said Tampa Bay Watch spokeswoman Rachel Arndt.

"This event is great because it gets organizations … involved in helping to preserve and protect the bay by removing debris and keeping marine life from needlessly getting caught and killed in abandoned traps," said Serra Herndon, environmental scientist with Tampa Bay Watch.

Thousands of traps have accumulated in Tampa Bay over the decades, and each year the nonprofit Tampa Bay Watch surveys traps. Since 2004, volunteers have removed 580 traps from Tampa Bay.

For information on how to identify and report abandoned traps, call Herndon at (727) 867-8166.

Reporter Yvette C. Hammett can be reached at (813) 657-4532 or yhammett@tampatrib.com.

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