To Eliminate “Ghost Pots,” Two Maryland Students Build a Better Crab Trap
According to a 2008 study by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, there are an estimated 85,000 ghost crab traps on the bottom of the Chesapeake Bay. “Ghost Pots,” derelict crab traps that have separated from their lines but are too deep to retrieve, have been a concern of both environmentalists and watermen for years. These traps continue to catch and kill crabs and other species. So you can see the problem in the Chesapeake Bay, where the crab population is already low.
“A lot of people don’t know what a big issue it is,” said Luke Andraka, 18, one of two North County High School students who set out to develop a Better Crab Trap, complete with zinc rings that slowly decay over an eight month period. These rings allow abandoned crab traps to fall apart on their own over time. “It’s an incredible number of crabs that are dying every year, and the amazing part to me is that in Maryland, this is a huge issue, but in other areas, like in the Gulf of Mexico, this is an incredible problem.”
“There are a lot of derelict pots out there and we know that it’s not great for the resource, so the more we get something to make them collapsible, the better off we are,” said Tony Friedrich, executive director of the Coastal Conservation Association of Maryland.
Maybe there is hope for the future of the Maryland crabbing industry after all!
Andraka and his partner, Dana Lunkenheimer, 17, built their better crab trap as part of the We Can Change the World Challenge, an annual national competition involving high school teams that identify environmental problems and come up with solutions.
Andraka and Lunkenheimer took home second place, a $25,000 scholarship, and other prizes.
If you have any questions or now have an overwhelming urge to eat some delicious Maryland Blue Crabs, please contact Catonsville Gourmet by calling 410-788-0005 or visit CatonsvilleGourmet.com today! You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and Pinterest.
Location: 829 Frederick Rd. Catonsville, MD. 21228
Anne Arundel students build a better, or at least less problematic, crab trap