AUSTIN, Texas -- Six million pounds of crabs are taken out of Texas bays each year and sold for $3.5 million. However, it's not what's being taken out of the water that has state officials concerned, but what's being left behind -- abandoned crab traps.

Texas Parks and Wildlife reports that many thousands of the wire mesh cages used to catch crabs are lost or abandoned each year. State game wardens pick up more than 2,500 traps annually, yet there are many more still in the water to foul shrimpers' nets, snag fishermen's lines and create an unsightly view of Texas shores.

Until recently, only the trap's owner or a TPW game warden could legally remove a crab trap. The 77th Legislature of Texas created an abandoned crab trap removal program (SB 1410), sponsored by Sen. "Buster" Brown (R-Lake Jackson) and Rep. Debra Danburg (D-Houston), that authorizes the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission to close crabbing in Texas waters for a short period and remove all traps that are found. This year from Feb. 16-March 3, all Texas coastal waters will be closed to crabbing while TPW staff and volunteers scour the bays in an attempt to remove lost and abandoned traps.

"There are a lot of traps on the bottom of the bays and the folks who usually find them didn't want to. They are often shrimpers whose nets get caught on them or recreational boaters whose motors get tangled with them," Hal Osburn, TPW Director of Coastal Fisheries explained.

Under provisions of SB1410, TPW may use volunteers to help pick up abandoned traps only in certain periods of the closure. During the first seven days, only TPW game wardens will be collecting abandoned traps. After the first seven days of the closure period, the traps will be defined as litter and can be removed by anyone. All traps picked up as litter must be disposed of properly and cannot be reused.

"We're planning to make this a community volunteer initiative to clean up the bays," Osburn noted. "We'll be educating the public about the safety precautions involved and encouraging volunteers to participate during the weekends when we can have a coordinated effort. Some of the commercial crabbers may also be volunteering their boats to assist with the collection."

TPW will be facilitating volunteer trap removal efforts on Saturday, Feb. 23 at 24 locations coastwide, weather permitting.

"To maximize our time allotment, we are targeting that Saturday as the main event, so to speak, with the next available weekend day, Feb. 24, or the following weekend of March 2 or 3 as back-up in case of inclement weather," said Art Morris, program coordinator with TPW. "The decision to postpone in case of inclement weather will be made at the local site on the morning of the cleanup, but common sense will dictate whether a facilitated disposal site will be staffed or not."

Morris noted that individuals that conduct cleanups on days other than TPW facilitated cleanup dates will have to make their own arrangements for trap disposal but can contact the local coordinator for assistance.

"Currently we have close to 200 vessels and 600 individuals representing more than 40 organizations, clubs, companies, and government entities donating their services to help out with the program," Morris said.

Following is a site list of TPW staff facilitated locations where traps can be dropped off during the cleanup. Each site will be manned by TPW staff from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Disposal facilities will be provided at each site on the day of the cleanup. For those that chose to work on their own, TPW requests information about the number of traps that they collect.

To volunteer or for more information contact one of the local coordinators or program coordinator Art Morris in Corpus Christi at (361) 825-3356.

Crab Trap Cleanup Collection Sites

Aransas Bay-local TPW coordinator Karen Meador 361-729-2328

• South Copano Causeway Ramp
• Conn Brown Harbor-Aransas Pass
• Corpus Christi Bay-local TPW coordinator Terry Cody 361-729-2328
• Conn Brown Harbor-Aransas Pass
• South Nueces Ramp-Corpus Christi

Galveston Bay-local TPW coordinator Lance Robinson 281-474-2811

• East Bay-Stingaree Bait Camp
• Trinity Bay-Fort Anahuac
• Galveston Bay-Seabrook Public Ramp (Media site)
• Galveston Bay-Eagle Point Ramp
• Upper Galveston/Trinity Bay-Crawley's Bait Camp
• West Bay-Causeway Bait & Tackle Camp
• West Bay-Sy's Bait Camp
• Chocolate Bay-Chocolate Bayou Ramp

Lower Laguna Madre-local TPW coordinator Randy Blankinship 956-350-4490

• Adolfe Tomae County Park-Arroyo Colorado
• Port Mansfield Navigation District Ramp-Port Mansfield.

Matagorda Bay-local TPW coordinator Bill Balboa 361-972-6253

• Matagorda Harbor Boat Ramp-East Matagorda/Matagorda Bay
• Railroad Park-Palacios
• Lavaca Pier Ramp-Port Lavaca

Sabine Lake-local TPW coordinator Jerry Mambretti 409-983-1104

• Walter Umphrey State Park on Pleasure Island
• J.D. Murphree Wildlife Management Area (TPW Wildlife Division personnel only)
• San Antonio Bay-local TPW coordinator Norman Boyd 361-983-4425
• Charlies Bait Stand-Seadrift
• Port O'Conner Public Ramp/TPW compound
• Seadrift Harbor Refuge (The Hole)

Upper Laguna Madre-local TPW coordinator Kyle Spiller 361-825-3353

• Bird Island Boat Ramp-Padre Island National Seashore
• Marker 37 Boat Ramp
• Kaufer Park Boat Ramp- Baffin Bay-Riviera Beach