Abstract

Trap fishing is part of the cultural history of the Florida Keys and supports a lucrative commercial fishery for the Caribbean spiny lobster. However, the use of traps in the fishery inadvertently increased lobster mortality, marine debris, entangle-ment of cetaceans and sea turtles, and loss of coral. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) has attempted to address these environmental impacts through three management efforts: the Lobster Trap Certificate program, gear modifications, and derelict trap removal. Throughout the management processes, state researchers have conducted extensive cooperative research with commercial fishermen to understand the nature of trap interactions with the environment. As our next step, we will conduct an educational outreach program to translate our data to knowledge, making information on trap impacts more accessible to the stakeholder community. The stakeholder community is comprised of a broad audience including commercial and recreational fishermen, dive operators, and the general public. We will conduct a series of workshops for commercial fishermen, seminars for the general public, and utilize social media to reach a broader cross-section of the stakeholder community. It is anticipated that the primary challenges to the education campaign will be effectively engaging diverse stakeholder groups and overcoming a culture that is resistant to change. The program goal is to expand knowledge of trap-induced environmental damage and encourage managers and stakeholders to develop solutions that will reduce trap impacts, thus promoting sustainable fishing practices and resource protection.

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