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    • Home
    • What We Do
    • Sea Turtle Patrol
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    • Species Info
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    • Contact Us
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Coastal Wildlife Club, Inc.
  • Home
  • What We Do
  • Sea Turtle Patrol
  • You Can Help
  • Species Info
  • Nesting Data
  • Other Projects
  • Other Wildlife
  • Become A Member
  • Contact Us
  • Downloads
  • Gallery
  • Links

permitted Crab trap removal program

A Crab Trap Conundrum

 

For decades, Coastal Wildlife Club (CWC) turtle patrollers on Manasota Key in southwest Florida have encountered crab traps washed onto nesting beaches. Some are in good condition with current permits and tags. Others are clearly trash. In neither case was it possible for patrollers to remove the traps from nesting habitat. 


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


Over the years we contacted local and state agencies for guidance regarding removal. No one provided specific information that would be helpful in addressing this problem. Traps remained on the beaches, often for years - obstructions to nesting sea turtles and to beach walkers

A Solution

 At the Florida Marine Turtle Permit Holder Meeting in January 2020, in a presentation on Florida’s Marine Debris Program, a permitting process was outlined authorizing legal removal of crab traps by groups such as ours. 


CWC volunteers patrol about 14 miles of beach daily during turtle season. We are perfectly situated to document locations of traps and to remove them.


CWC applied for a permit for trap removal from April – October 2020. Upon approval, we established and trained our Crab Trap Removal Team, all of whom are also turtle patrollers. 

Because traps wash in all year long, we quickly realized that a seasonal permit was not sufficient. We are permitted now to remove traps year-round from the beaches and waters of Charlotte and Sarasota counties. The project is in its fourth year. 

 

We have done public outreach to increase awareness about the project, and we have partnered with other groups to facilitate in-water removal. We have developed relationships with individuals in the crab fishing community whom we contact for the pick-up of fishable traps.


To date, we have removed a total of 141 crab traps from local beaches: 32 traps in 2020, 71 traps in 2021, and 38 traps in 2022.


SPECIAL THANKS


Crab Trap Removal Team: Jill Auman, Jo Ellen Blake-Wingate, Lori Newton, Will Howell, Carol & Gene McCoy, Robbie & Don Brooks, Doug Stone, Karen Gilbert, John Kesich, Pauline Logston, Helen Dumond, Judy Peck Demersman, Ted Johnston, Norma Jean Zvosek, Wilma Katz


AND

Staff in Charlotte & Sarasota Counties, Ranger Melanie Luce at Stump Pass Beach State Park, Pamela Gruver, FWC, Division of Fisheries Managment and Karen Blackford, friend of CWC

Photo: Su Young


Sometimes it's Tricky

Clumps of traps are deposited on the beach during a storm and are often buried in sand. Sometimes only a corner of the trap is visible! The lines become entangled in trees and driftwood and require a lot of time and elbow grease to remove. 


After a December storm, CWC volunteer Lori Newton is digging out traps with a smile. 


Photo: Carol McCoy

A Reason Why

A loggerhead crawls on the beach with a crab trap in the background. She did not nest. This is referred to as a "false crawl".  Obstructions on beaches can cause entrapment and deter sea turtles from nesting. A sea turtle expends a lot of energy resources crawling on land.


Photo: Lori Newton

After Storms, Traps dot the Shoreline



John Kesich examines a stone crab trap to determine if it is debris. If the trap is fishable, CWC contacts the owner of the trap for pickup.


Photo: Emily Rizzo

Secure Disposal

CWC volunteer Gene McCoy loads a heavy stone crab trap into a vehicle for transport to a secure disposal location. CWC partners with Charlotte and Sarasota counties for secure disposal locations. 



Photo: Carol McCoy

Traps are Bulky

CWC volunteers Kevin Mullaney & Steve Daniel remove a blue crab trap from sea turtle nesting habitat, a.k.a, the beach. 


Photo: Wilma Katz

Traps are Heavy

Traps are weighted down with cement and are heavy. Many times it takes two volunteers to safely lift and remove. 


Robbie Brooks and Doug Stone remove a derelict stone crab trap from the beach.


Photo: Don Brooks

crayon repurposing

We Needed Crayons

If you need used crayons, where do you go? It seemed natural to partner with teacher. Kathleen Skavronek from  Deep Creek Elementary School.  She has been providing us with used crayons from the school. This is a great lesson in reusing and recycling. Thank you, Kathleen and students.  Kathleen is pictured in the photo holding the crayons, next to Carol McCoy, CWC volunteer. 


Photo: Wilma Katz

What to do next?

CWC has fantastic volunteers. So many of them have a multitude of crafty talents. Many of them are artists that sew, paint, crochet, quilt,  sculpt, make jewelry,  woodwork, create beautiful eggs with traditional  Pasanki and take fantastic photographs.  All we had to do is ask and our volunteers made the new sea life crayons. Thank you to our "Crayon Crew" for making this project come to life. 

Fabulous Repurposed Crayons

These beauties are used in our outreach programs. They accompany coloring/ activity pages and are always well received. 


A special thank you to the Walton Beach Turtle Patrol for telling us where they got the molds. 

Community Outreach & Education

Coastal Wildlife Club participates in area festivals and events such as displays and talks at area libraries, Earth Day, Dearborn Street Safe Walk and other places by invitation. Below, please enjoy some artwork created by a scouting group that earned their Sea Turtle Badge that day.

out and about with CWC

Learn about Sea Turtles

Charlotte County Libraries "Under the Sea" Summer reading program event. CWC offered  a table display of sea turtle information and distributed sea turtle tattoos to children and adults alike. 


Seated at table:  Carol Leonard and Deb Laposa

Photo: Karen Blackford

Troop 351 Creating Posters

Troop 321 earned their Sea Turtle Badge after satisfying all of the requirements Part of which was listening to a presentation about sea turtles and creating posters on sea turtle threats. You can see their work below. 

Photo: Gene McCoy

Stories & Crafts

Presenting "Born to be Wild" to small children at Elsie Quirk Library

Photo: Carol Leonard

highlighting artwork from Brownie troop 351

Don't Release Balloons. drawling of balloon with sea turtles

Don't Release Balloons. Artwork from Brownie Troop 351

Drawing of a sea turtle with a plastic bag.

Don't litter. Drawing by a member of Brownie Troop 351

Sea turtle threats depicted. Straws, litter, balloons

Artwork  from a member of Brownie Troop 351

Sea Turtle Threats. Drawing by member of Brownie Troop 351

Sea Turtle Threats

Drawing by member of Brownie Troop 351

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