MA Amendment Would Facilitate Removal of Abandoned Fishing Gear

Lobster pots (traps) in carriers were staged at Cuttyhunk’s iFerry terminal for data collection, material sorting, and crushing before they were transported off the island for recycling and disposal. Photo/NOAA

Recovered lobster pots (traps) and rope lines await sorting for disposal after Day 1 (March 2024 in Cuttyhunk) of removal. During the cleanup, lobster pots were staged at the island’s ferry terminal. Trap identification tags were cut off and recorded in a database that helps the Center for Coastal Studies understand where the gear is coming from and how long it’s been lost in the environment. Photo/NOAA

New legislation in Massachusetts is aimed at making it easier to clean up abandoned or derelict commercial fishing gear that can pose serious environmental issues. An existing state law from the early 1940’s currently restricts the removal of lobster traps and other fishing gear that has been abandoned, lost at sea, or washed up on shore. However, if left unattended, the abandoned gear can kill thousands of fish, crustaceans, marine mammals, and birds each year.

According to the NOAA Marine Debris Program: “Derelict fishing nets and traps can continue to ghost-fish for years once they are lost under the water’s surface. Storms, ship traffic, and interactions with other types of fishing gear are the primary mechanisms for gear loss, resulting in an estimated 1% to 5% annual rate of gear loss in the Massachusetts lobster fishery. In Cape Cod Bay, derelict lobster traps are estimated to kill 12,500 to 33,000 lobsters per year.”

To address the problem, State Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr has introduced an amendment that would allow abandoned or derelict gear to be removed from the water and shorelines while respecting private-property considerations.

Environmental groups are hoping the new legislation can be approved and implemented later this year.