Ghost Pot Identification and Recovery.

    ghost greeting

Ghost (crab) pots are commercial or recreational fishing gear that have been lost in the water.  They may continue to fish leading to capture and loss of non-target species (bycatch).  Ghost pots were identified by sonar in the Mullica River/ JC NERR and recovered by diver localization and assisted grapple in BIOL 2175- Scientific Diving class 10/26/2009. 

Deploy sonar towfish from RV Gannet     Sonar operators on computer, RV Gannet- Ghost Pot Sonar Images

Diver search teams

Located ghost traps buoyed and divers hook in grapple for recovery with vessel (RV Osprey) winch.

Trap recovery on winch                                                  Removing sediment from trap 

Scientific Diving class with recovered ghost traps!!!!!!!