Gear Grab

Gear Grab in Action

The Gulf of Maine Lobster Foundation is leading the charge to recover and dispose of derelict fishing gear and marine debris with its three-pronged GEAR GRAB initiative–designed to inform, involve, and improve the lives of fishermen and the communities in which they live along the Maine coast.

First stop: Harpswell, April 20, 2013

Volunteer for the Harpswell Community

Day Shoreline Cleanup

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Watch our newly released mini-documentary

At Sea Recovery

The Gulf of Maine Lobster Foundation is an industry leader in recovering and disposing of derelict fishing gear— called “ghost gear”— from Maine’s ocean floor. Fishermen volunteer their time, sternmen and vessels to grapple for traps. Recovered gear is brought to a central wharf for sorting and processing. Salvageable traps are returned to their owners; unusable traps are disposed of and the steel is recycled. Information about each recovered trap is recorded and given to scientists to assess the impact on marine habitat.

Gear Collection & Recycling

Fishermen can dispose of old, used or unwanted fishing gear, without incurring the disposal costs often incurred at transfer stations. Wire or wood traps, buoys, warp, nets, or other equipment (no vessels) can be brought to designated collection sites. All gear collected is repurposed, recycled for metal scrap, or burned at a waste-to-energy facility.

Community Days

Extending the trap cleanup to land, as some groups have done on a small scale, is a logical next step. More than just a beach clean up, this is about engaging fishermen and their local communities in taking ownership of their piece of the Maine coast. Leading the charge are the fishermen; along side are their families, students, youth groups, and businesses.

Gear Grab in Action

In 2010-11, 70 boat captains volunteered their time, sternmen and vessels, in exchange for a small fuel stipend and the satisfaction of recovering lost gear during our at sea-recoveries. 3,372 ghost traps were recovered. 1100 traps were returned to their owners. 21 tons of steel from the non-useable traps was recycled and proceeds were reinvested in the project. During the Gear Collection and Recycling Days, GOMLF collected over 43 tons of gear.

What People are Saying:

We applaud GOMLF and are proud to be part of such an impressive effort.

-Corcoran Environmental Services, Inc.

GOMLF’s commitment to industry-related projects is exemplary. The ability of the Foundation to bring the required partners together to allow for a coastal at-sea cleanup shows off their talents as a facilitator for the fishing industry. And, if a little bit of research can piggyback on these great projects, that’s even better.

-Melissa Smith, M.Sc; Project Biologist.

I have always wanted to retrieve lost gear to help clean our fishing grounds. I can tell you from personal experience that there are some awful piles of old gear on the bottom. I have hauled up snarls of gear from the bottom that has consisted of between 20 to 60 traps and there are some snarls down there that no one can haul up.

-Donald Nickles, lobsterman, Owls Head, Maine.