Juneau Empire
Watch the video that was documented by Juneau Empire – Micheal Penn
The U.S. Army Divers, 74th Engineer Dive Detachment dive for crab pots in the Gastineau Channel on September 5th, 2019
Douglas Indian Association/Marine Debris Project
U.S. Army
The U.S. Army 74th Engineer Dive Detachment partnered with the Douglas Indian Association to help assist in removing very large commercial king crab pots from the Gastineau Channel. The Army divers were successful in removing 3 pots and marking 1 pot with a buoy for ADF&G and DIA to pick up on a later date.
Divers use Rafts
The U.S. Army Divers use rafts to gain quick access to the pot locations. The rafts were very useful in deploying buoys to mark the locations of the derelicts pots
Diver Assists with Wedged Pot
Diver jumps in to help assist in lifting the Commercial size crab pot. The pot was being pushed underneath the vessel from the strong tide change, so it had to be wedged out by the divers.
Pot Locations
This map shows several locations of very large derelict commercial king crab pots that were targeted by DIA and the U.S. Army to find and extract from the Gastineau Channel.
Ghost Fishing
Derelict fishing gear, such as lost fishing nets and crab pots, can continue to trap and kill fish, crab, and other animals as long as they persist in the marine environment. This “ghost-fishing” effect is detrimental to the marine species and to the fisheries associated with them. Not only does “ghost-fishing” have impacts by directly killing subsistence fisheries; they make other fisheries problematic for the area.
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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Marine Debris Project Partners
This Marine Debris Project was designed and executed in partnership with:
- U.S. Army 74th Engineer Dive Detachment,
- Alaska Department of Fish & Game (ADF&G),
- State Division of Natural Resources (DNR),
- U.S. Coast Guard (USCG),
- City and Borough of Juneau Docks & Harbors,
For more information contact:
Kamal Lindoff, Environmental Director |
Bernadine DeAsis, Environmental Specialist |
Phone: 907-364-2916 Fax: 907-364-2917
Was a great experience working with the U.S. Army Divers in retrieving these large pots from the Gastineau Channel.