Marine Debris Project Video

Filmed by Kamal Lindoff – Environmental & Transportation Director

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REMOVED

DERELICT CRAB POTS

RECYCLED

RECREATIONAL POTS

Kamal Lindoff, Environmental Director overlooks the derelict crab pots they were able to retrieve for the day.

Study Area

Study Area Sandy Beach

Kamal Lindoff2022-07-18T13:46:57-08:00Categories: Sandy Beach Study Area|

Sandy Beach Study Area Known Crab Pot Area The Sandy Beach region on the west side of the Gastineau Channel (see map to the right) is historically and currently

Bernadine DeAsis, Environmental Specialist showing off a piece of a derelict crab pot.

Overview

The DIA Marine Debris Removal Project was conducted to: locate, remove and prevent accumulation of derelict crab pots from marine habitats of the Juneau marine environment, Gastineau Channel area identified as Essential Fish Habitats, including marine protected areas, Habitat Areas of Particular Concern for salmon and known distribution areas for halibut, Dungeness, Tanner and King crab.

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DIA NOAA Marine Debris Removal Project

Project Goals:

Remove lost crab pots from Gastineau Channel and document impacts of lost pots. Build capacity between local partners to implement lost fishing gear projects.

Sonar Scan:

The DIA Marine Debris Project Conducted 3 days of Sonar Scanning in the Gastineau Channel, Sandy Beach Study area on April 18-20, 2017. Sonar results: Fen Enterprises (AFS), Scanned 40 linear miles, located a total 209 pot targets. 169 pots up to 1 meter in size, 32 pots up to 2 meters in size, and 8 pots over 2 meters or larger in size. We also found 4 sunken boats and 5 tires.

Removal operations:

The DIA Marine Debris Project Conducted 10 days of removal operations on May 15-24, 2017. DIA contracted Natural Resources Consultants, Inc. (NRC) to coordinate field operations. The Alaska Department of Fish & Game (ADF&G) provided a 22’ Munson landing craft with a pot puller. An engineered grapple system was used to retrieve the lost pots.

Removal Results:

A total of 33 derelict crab pots were removed from the Channel: 27 Dungeness crab pots, 19 recreational, 7 commercial, 1 ring, 5 Shrimp Pots (personal use string), 1 Tanner crab pot, 1 halibut longline skate, 1 pile of line. 92% Dungeness crab pots used escape cord (biotwine). All 22 crabs (20 live, 2 dead) found in 2 pots w/o biotwine.

Constraints:

During the project constraints consisted of limited approachable targets (i.e., near cable, near sunken ships, RKC pots, boulders, etc.). Limited vessel capacity (i.e., size, pot puller, etc.). Depth of pots, tide changes, weather changes, etc.

Observed impacts:

22 legal sized Dungeness crab were found in 2 lost crab pots, 20 alive and 2 dead. We also found 1 tanner crab, 1 white spotted greenling, several sea urnchins and star fish trapped in the lost crab pots.

Recycled:

4 pots recycled, 3 went back to sports fisherman and 1 went back to the Alaska State Troopers.

Reason for loss:

Lost crab pots in the Gastineau Channel are due to pots getting tangled together from buoy lines, either being too long or set too close together. Other factors assume that the strong tides may have an effect on pushing the pots close together, resulting in tangling and causing the buoys to submerge and sink. Another observation shows that most of the buoys may have failed due to extreme overgrowth of marine life (plants, muscles, barnacles, etc.) on the buoys, causing them to submerge and sink below the water lines. A final observation shows that poor buoy systems are being used, such as milk jugs, or cheap plastic containers, which are not adequate enough to stay afloat in this harsh marine environment.

Project Plan

Marine Debris Project Plan

Kamal Lindoff2019-09-26T13:35:08-08:00August 29th, 2019|

Sandy Beach Area Marine Debris

Kamal Lindoff, Environmental Director and Joel Webb, Alaska Fish & Game Biologist pull up a derelict crab pot.

Key Findings

Total Pots Found

27 Dungeness crab pots, 9 recreational pots, 7 commercial pots, 1 ring pot, 5 Shrimp Pots (personal use string), 1 Tanner crab pot, 1 halibut longline skate, and 1 pile of line.

Total Pots that used biotwine

92% Dungeness crab pots used escape cord (biotwine).

Total Pots Found with Crab

All 22-crab found in 2 pots w/o biotwine.

Total Pot Density

Pot density: 45/km2.

Maselko Findings

Much higher than Maselko et at findings of 1.5-10.1/km2.

Total Crab Found

Found 22 legal sized Dungeness crab (in 2 pots), 20 live, 2 dead.

Other Marine Species Found

Found 1 Tanner crab, 1 white-spotted greenling, Several green sea urchins and Starfish.

Reason for loss

Long buoy lines getting tangled, strong tides causing buoy lines to tangle together, extreme overgrowth of marine life on buoys, and poor buoy systems that fail over time.

Recycled

4 pots recycled, 3 went to fisherman and 1 went to the State Troopers.

Noaa Marine Debris Project Partners

This Marine Debris Project was designed and executed in partnership with:

Natural Resources Consultants, Inc.(NRC),
Alaska Department of Fish & Game (ADF&G),
Fenn Enterprise, Aldrich Offshore Services, Sealaska (AFS),
U.S. Coast Guard (USCG), Alaska State Troopers (AKST),
Northwest Straits Foundation (NWSF)
Funded by the NOAA Marine Debris Grant, World Animal Protection Grant, North West Straits Foundation(NWSF) and in-kind from all project partners.