title: Derelict fishing gear in Chesapeake Bay, Virginia: spatial patterns and implications for marine fauna.
abstract: Derelict fishing gear is a source of mortality for target and non-target marine species. A program employing commercial watermen to remove marine debris provided a novel opportunity to collect extensive spatially-explicit information for four consecutive winters (2008-2012) on the type, distribution, and abundance of derelict fishing gear and bycatch in Virginia waters of Chesapeake Bay. The most abundant form of derelict gear recovered was blue crab pots with almost 32,000 recovered. Derelict pots were widely distributed, but with notable hotspot areas, capturing 40 species and over 31,000 marine organisms. The target species, blue crab, experienced the highest mortality from lost pots with an estimated 900,000 animals killed each year, a potential annual economic loss to the fishery of $300,000. Important fishery species were captured and killed in derelict pots including Atlantic croaker and black sea bass. While some causes of gear loss are unavoidable, others can be managed to minimize loss.
authors: Virginia Institute of Marine Science, College of William & Mary, P.O. Box 1346, Gloucester Point, VA 23062, United States. Electronic address: donnab@vims.edu.
authors: Donna Marie
authors: DM
authors: Bilkovic
authors: Virginia Institute of Marine Science, College of William & Mary, P.O. Box 1346, Gloucester Point, VA 23062, United States.
authors: Kirk
authors: K
authors: Havens
authors: Virginia Institute of Marine Science, College of William & Mary, P.O. Box 1346, Gloucester Point, VA 23062, United States.
authors: David
authors: D
authors: Stanhope
authors: Virginia Institute of Marine Science, College of William & Mary, P.O. Box 1346, Gloucester Point, VA 23062, United States.
authors: Kory
authors: K
authors: Angstadt
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D059001:Aquatic Organisms; D061006:Bays / Q000737:chemistry*; D003386:Brachyura; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005398:Fisheries / Q000295:instrumentation*; D012621:Seasons; D014768:Virginia; D014873:Water Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D014876:Water Pollution / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
chemical_list: D014873:Water Pollutants
keywords: Blue crab; Bycatch; Derelict fishing gear; Diamondback terrapin; Eastern oyster; Marine debris