Crab Pots and Drop Nets
Crab Pots
Pots are cages or baskets that attract and hold species such as lobsters and crabs alive until the fishermen return to haul in the catch. Pots have one or more openings and are used with or without bait. The second opening, which is of a specific size and is commonly called the ‘escape gap’, allows undersize fish or species that are below the legal catch size to escape. They are usually placed on the seafloor and marked by a rope and buoy and are hauled 1-2 times a day. Some are designed to be used in midwater. Habitat impacts of this type of fishing are minimal and, once onboard, unwanted species can be released alive.
Drop Nets
A drop net is made of 2 hoops joined by a large cylindrical or cone-shaped net bag. It is often hung from poles, and suspended over a baited target area. The trap must be monitored and when the target animal is under the net, it is either manually or remotely triggered, and drops on the animal.