vessels were involved. Data obtained during the Onsite Survey revealed 

 that in 1978 nearly 35% of commercial fish landings in the 5 square 

 nautical mile area were from wire traps (see Appendix C, Table 3). 



According to Florida DNR, fishermen in the Florida Keys trap 

 fishery operate vessels that range from 34 ft. wooden vessels constructed 

 in Cuba of jubilla wood to a modern 75 ft. steel hull with freezers. Most 

 vessels have hydraulic pot haulers, fathometers and either loran or radar, 

 although several of the smaller vessels have neither pot haulers nor any 

 positioning device. 



Since fish traps are normally placed on or adjacent to the 

 ledges of out croppings of 2 '-4' relief, wire trap fishermen come in close 

 contact with other users who are competing for this limited bottom area. 

 For example, sport trollers' rigs become entangled in trap buoys, and 

 bottom fishermen lose gear by becoming entangled with the traps. Physical 

 damage to coral species has occurred when these traps have been dropped on 

 corals, dragged across the bottom during retrieval and tossed about during 

 rough weather (personal communication, Davidson, 1979). 



Sport divers also report that traps on shallow reefs capture 

 and kill excessive amounts of tropical reef fish and at the same time 

 destroy living coral. Fish trappers on the other hand, have stated that 

 their traps are not set on the tops of biologically productive reliefs, 

 but adjacent to these formations. These fishermen also reported that the 

 majority of reef tropicals and undersized groupers and snappers are re- 

 turned to the water immediately with little detrimental effect. 



Traps lost by separation of the buoy line from the trap either 

 by vandals, propel lors or storms are called ghost traps and continue fish- 

 ing for unknown periods of time. The number of lost traps per fisherman 

 per year ranges from 30% to as high as 200% of the total of traps being 

 fished (FDNR, 1980). 



One diver on Big Pine Key reports that on a recent dive around 

 Big Pine shoals, several ghost traps were in his field of vision at any 

 given time as he progressed down the reef in 50 feet of water. Further 

 research needs to be done to determine the numbers of ghost traps, their 

 life span, and their ability to catch and retain fish (FDNR, 1980). 



The FDNR study, also observed that less than 10% of the total 

 fish caught by wire traps were dead or injured. The most commonly found 

 dead fish were barracudas and large jacks. The most common trap-caused 

 injury was the abrasion of the snout followed by gas embolism which is 

 caused by the rapid ascent through the water column. The report did not 

 measure, however, how many and what species of smaller fish were caught 

 and eaten during the period of captivity. 



As part of this study captured species were categorized as 

 target or non-target depending on whether or not the fish were landed for 

 human consumption. Primary target species consisted of large (3.0 lb. 

 whole) black, red, Nassau, yellowfin, scamp, gag and hind groupers; button, 



105 



