A South Bristol fisherman says abandoned lobster traps on the ocean floor create major problems for shrimp draggers.
“It’s a nightmare,” David Osier said.
Osier is the proprietor of Osier’s Wharf, which buys lobster and shrimp from South Bristol’s sizable commercial fishery. He also owns a small fleet of fishing boats.
He brought 11 derelict traps into shore Feb. 15.
“I could fill my boat every day,” Osier said.
The traps often become entangled in draggers’ large nets, requiring crews to haul in the net and, sometimes, cut holes in it. The traps also get caught in a by-catch reduction device known as a Nordmore grate.
“We usually lose some shrimp,” Osier said, and he estimated a cost of $5000 per year for repair costs.
Osier said modern lobster traps, unlike their wood predecessors, don’t rot, rust or otherwise break down with time. He recommended biodegradable traps to resolve the issue. “I think that they should have some type of lifespan,” he said.
The Gulf of Maine Foundation periodically works with fishermen to locate and remove ghost traps, but Osier said the daily stipend the program offers doesn’t even cover a boat’s expenses.
As for the traps Osier hauled in on his own, the Dept. of Marine Resources will contact the owners. If they don’t claim the traps, Osier said he’d take them to the dump, where he’ll pay to dispose of them.
