The crabbing closure period is Friday Feb 19 to Feb 28, 2021. Help is needed throughout the closure, but Saturday Feb 20 will be the main mobilization day, with Saturday Feb 27 its bad weather backup. Please save the dates on your calendars.

Volunteers are needed out of Palacios, Port Lavaca, Indianola, Port O’Connor, Seadrift, Austwell, and Rockport. Again, a celebratory party in POC on Sat Feb 20 is planned.

Funding for this year’s effort is provided by a NOAA Marine Debris Removal grant. These funds will allow engagement of commercial crabbers to address root causes of trap dereliction. As in 2020, each boat is requested to use a free cell-phoned based app to mark location of each trap removed. This data is essential to reducing trap dereliction and is required by the grant. Sign-up is required and training will be available.