Yet another test of bycatch reduction: Is it better to exclude or escape? 

Dylan Berardo ’25 and John Stanfill ’26

 

Dylan and John presented a talk at the annual mid-Atlantic Diamondback Terrapin Working Group meeting (virtual) in August 2023—Yet Another Test of Bycatch Reduction:

Is it Better to Exclude or Escape? Because bycatch reduction devices (BRDs) are viewed so negatively in Virginia, we considered a crab pot modification that instead of excluding terrapins via BRDs would allow trapped terrapins to escape via an escape hatch. During June and July 2024, we compared the crab catch and terrapin bycatch in unaltered crab pots, pots fitted with 2 x 6-inch BRDs, and pots modified with an elastic-covered escape hatch. Both terrapins and crabs were able to operate the release hatch, so the “escape” design is not a viable option for the blue crab fishery. Importantly, pots with BRDs eliminated bycatch of mature female terrapins. For all recreational crabbing and for commercial crabbing in areas where terrapin conservation is promoted/desired, BRDs continue to be the best modification of commercial-style pots.