Developing Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) Methodologies for Recovering Derelict Crab Pots

Derelict crab pots pose a major risk to marine biodiversity and the Dungeness crab (Metacarcinus magister) fishery in Washington State. These traps continue to fish after loss, resulting in a reduction of crab population which threatens local economies and ecosystem health. The current diver-based methods for recovering these lost, discarded, or otherwise abandoned crab pots are expensive and inaccessible for many small coastal communities. This project proposes the use of Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs) and geospatial analysis techniques as an alternative low-cost recovery methodology enabling community-driven derelict gear location and retrieval. A comprehensive methodology is developed inclusive of site selection, surveying, ROV-based crab pot recovery, and disposal. This methodology was tested in the coastal waters of Jefferson County, Washington State, where thirty crab pots were located and twenty approved to be removed. Additionally, the study outlines a model for community-based research that involves stakeholders, students, and invested residents in this marine resource management. It is demonstrated that the ROV-based method is an effective low-cost and community-driven way to recover derelict crab pots on a localized scale.