Crab trap loss is a factor that affects not only fishermen, but potentially the ecosystem in which traps are lost. MDMR began a crab trap clean-up program in 2000 in collaboration with the Gulf Coast Research Laboratory (GCRL). Since its inception, almost 19, 000 traps have been removed from Mississippi state waters. In 2003 and 2004, MDMR and GCRL held volunteer-based programs and added a deep water component in order to reach a wider area (Derelict Trap Task Force). The Mississippi Commission on Marine Resources (MCMR) can establish a closed season that lasts between 10 and 30 days. Because of the effectiveness of the program, the volunteer event component it is no longer held annually and is scheduled as needed. MDMR can retrieve traps on an as needed basis.
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