1of3The state's annual abandoned crab trap removal program begins Friday and runs through the end of February. For more information, go to tpwd.state.tx.us.Shannon Tompkins/Chronicle

2of3Michelle Chappell, the new Texas Point Wildlife Refuge Manager, uses a pocket knife to cut through strings tied to crabbing docks built on the lakes that are inside the McFaddin Wildlife Refudge. Lines, bait, and nails are not allowed to be left on the docks permanently due to alligators getting tangled in them. The new offices for the McFaddin National Wildlife Refuge and Texas Point Refuge, that will replace the facilities destroyed in Hurricane Ike will reopen at Texas Point, which is considered a safer location. Dave Ryan/The Enterprise

For the 21st year, Texas Parks and Wildlife will search for and remove abandoned crab traps.

The department is seeking volunteers to search for and remove the abandoned crab traps which can kill sea life or catch on nets and snag anglers' lines, according to a news release from Texas Parks and Wildlife.

From Feb. 17-26, Texas coastal waters will be closed to crabbing with wire mesh crab traps for the annual cleanup. Any traps left in the bay including those tied to docks will be assumed abandoned and considered "litter" under state law so volunteers can legally remove any crab traps they find, per the release.

Volunteers are need to help in the coast-wide effort to remove numerous traps the have been abandoned or lost in the last year.

2023 Crab Trap Drop-Off Sites

• Sabine Lake - Local TPWD coordinator Carey Gelpi (409) 983-1104 (ext. 222)
o Pleasure Island Marina Boat Ramp - Facilitated trap drop-off site. Volunteer event is on Saturday, Feb. 25 in coordination with Louisiana Department of Fish and Wildlife.

• Galveston Bay - Local TPWD coordinator Christine Jensen (281) 534-0100
o Jones Lake State Ramp (Fat Boys) - Non-facilitated trap drop-off site.
o Dickinson Bayou SH 146 Bridge Public Boat Ramp - Non-facilitated trap drop-off site.
o Fort Anahuac County Park Boat Ramp - Facilitated trap drop-off site. Register to volunteer at this site with the Galveston Bay Foundation.
o Chocolate Bayou State Boat Ramp FM 2004 - Non-facilitated trap drop-off site.
o TPWD Dickinson Marine Lab - Non-facilitated trap drop-off site during business hours (Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.).
o Christmas Bay boat ramp (at the end of Amigo Lane) - Facilitated by the Christmas Bay Foundation. Visit Christmas Bay Foundation's site for more information.

• Matagorda Bay - Local TPWD coordinator Leslie Hartman (361) 972-6253
o Please visit San Antonio Bay Partnership's site for more information about volunteering throughout the mid-coast.
o Matagorda Harbor (Matagorda) - Non-facilitated trap drop-off site.
o Railroad Park (Palacios) - Non-facilitated trap drop-off site.
o West Mooring Boat Ramp (Sargent) - Non-facilitated trap drop-off site.

• San Antonio Bay - Local TPWD coordinator Kelly Kowal (361) 983-4425
o Please visit San Antonio Bay Partnership's site for more information about volunteering throughout the mid-coast.
o Port O'Connor TPWD Docks - Facilitated trap drop-off site.
o Charlie's Bait Stand - Non-facilitated trap drop-off site.
o Swan Point / Sanders Park Boat Ramp (Seadrift) - Non-facilitated trap drop-off site.
o Seadrift Marina - Non-facilitated trap drop-off site.
o Austwell Public Boat Ramp - Non-facilitated trap drop-off site.

• Aransas Bay - Local TPWD coordinator Zachary Olsen (361) 729-5429
o Please visit San Antonio Bay Partnership's site for more information about volunteering throughout the mid-coast.
o Goose Island State Park Boat Ramp - Non-facilitated trap drop-off site.

• Corpus Christi Bay - Local TPWD coordinator Tom Wagner (361) 729-2328
o South Conn Brown Harbor Public Ramp - Non-facilitated trap drop-off site.
o Ransom Channel Public Ramp - Non-facilitated trap drop-off site.

• Upper Laguna Madre - Local TPWD coordinator Ethan Getz (361) 431-6003
o Bluff's Landing Marina - Non-facilitated and trap drop-off site.
o Kaufer-Hubert Memorial Boat Ramp - Non-facilitated trap drop-off site.

• Lower Laguna Madre - Local TPWD coordinator Jason Ferguson (956) 350- 4490
o Port Mansfield Navigation District Ramp - Non-facilitated trap drop-off site.
o Adolph Thomae County Park - Non-facilitated trap drop-off site.

Select sites will have volunteer events on Feb. 18 according to the news release.

At all sites, dumpsters or collection areas marked with banners will be available to receive traps for the duration of the closure. Traps cannot be removed before Feb. 17 or after Feb 26.

Organizations that are providing continued support in the crab trap removal program include The Coastal Conservation Association Texas, Coastal Bend Bays and Estuaries Program, Galveston Bay Foundation, San Antonio Bay Partnership, Christmas Bay Foundation and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

To participate, volunteers can pick up free tarps, gloves and additional information at their local Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Coastal Fisheries field stations. Texas Parks and Wildlife asks that volunteers record and submit information about the number of traps they collect as well as sightings of diamondback terrapins.

For more information about the trap removal, contact Holly Grand at 361-431-6003, ext. 822 or at crabtrap@tpwd.texas.gov.

megan.zapalac@beaumontenterprise.com

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