Ghost fishing efficiency by lost, abandoned or discarded pots in snow crab (Chionoecetes opilio) fishery

Abstract

Marine pollution by lost, abandoned or otherwise discarded fishing gear (ALDFG) often has negative impact on the ecosystem through plastic pollution and continuous capture of marine animals, so-called “ghost fishing”. ALDFG in pot fisheries is associated with high ghost fishing risk. The snow crab (Chionoecetes opilio) pot fishery is conducted in harsh weather conditions increasing the risk of fishing gear loss. Due to plastic materials used in the pot construction, lost gear can most likely continue fishing for decades. This study presents a method to quantify ghost fishing efficiency relative to catch efficiency of actively fished pots. On average, the ghost fishing pots captured 8.29 % (confidence intervals: 4.33–13.73 %) target-sized snow crab compared to the actively fished pots, demonstrating that lost pots can continue fishing even when the bait is decayed. Given the large number of pots lost each year, the ghost fishing efficiency is a considerable challenge in this fishery.