Impact of a bycatch reduction device on diamondback terrapin and blue crab capture in crab pots

A trap modification reduced bycatch of diamondback terrapins (Malaclemys terrapin) in a blue crab (Callinectes sepidus) pot fishery in the Patuxent River, a tributary of the Chesapeake Bay. Three wire modifications were tested and found that terrapin bycatch can be reduced without decreasing the number or size of captured crabs.
Field Studies:

Location	Fishing gear	Reduction technique	Bycatch species	Effect on bycatch species	Catch	Effect on target catch	Type
Chesapeake Bay	Traps	Trap guards (T-bars, otter guards)	Sea Turtles	Reduced turtle bycatch	Crab	No impact on number or size of crabs	In the wild