Crab trap cleanup crew in Anahuac, Texas. Photos by Gene Fisseler
“See the lady in the pink shirt? I think she’s from Colorado. She’s got a blog and everything.”
I was actually wearing green, so I overheard Emily Ford, the event organizer, pointing a faux me out to her setup team. A retired Water Resources Director and lobbyist from Houston, was also awed that I’d come 1000 miles to the Texas gulf to rescue crabs from derelict traps.
Well, excuse me, but Abandoned Lost and Discarded Fishing Gear (ALDFG) kills countless sea creatures every year including dolphins, whales, turtles, seals, and yeah, crabs. Why wouldn’t I want to help?
An unexpected bonus came in my being assigned to work with an award-winning game warden who sometimes appears on Animal Planet’s Lone Star Law. Patricia Vannoy had been keeping an eye out for uncollected traps, and she has sharp eyes. We collected 20-some traps, most of which contained at least a few crabs, some dead, some tiny. We liberated the live ones– along with a sheepshead wrasse–smashed the traps, noted the permit numbers for possible ticketing, and turned our haul over to the shore crew for disposal.
If only those deadly rogue fishing nets were so easily dealt with.
Ann – We were pleased to introduce you to our abandoned crab trap roundup. Texans are proud of the tremendous natural resources with which our Great State is blessed. Come back anytime and help us with crab traps, Trash Bash, Marsh Mania, and numerous other conservation efforts.
– Gene, native Texan
Texas is also blessed to have people like you working so hard to keep it healthy and beautiful. Thanks for all you do!