Christina McGranaghan, Maik Kecinski, Michelle Segovia - SMSP Fall Seminar Series 2024

Abstract: Stockton University scientists have engaged New Jersey commercial crabbers to help break the cycle of crab trap loss in a network of coastal bays covering ~36 km of coastline. To date, >3500 items of abandoned, lost, discarded fishing gear (ALDFG) have been removed off-season, supplemented by hundreds of in-season recoveries using recreational-grade sonars to prevent future accumulation. Results and lessons learned from this work will be discussed as well as ongoing/future directions involving marine debris drone surveys and ADV (abandoned and derelict vessel) identification/removal.