Interesting Article on Ghost Pots
 

Found this article on somd.com. They pulled 1,500 pots just from a few rivers!

http://www.somd.com/news/headlines/2010/11381.shtml

After reading the article, it appears a new pot costs 20 30 dollars; and a ghost pot cost 165 dollars to remove:rolleyes:.
5th (Marty)

450 watermen x $400/day = $180,000
450 helpers x $150/day = $67,500
Total $247,500

$247,500 total divided by 1,500 pots = $165/ghost pot

If we could get DNR to put a bounty of $165/pot; everyone would be buying downscan sonar and getting in on the action.
Hell, I can just see the poachers out on the bay at night pulling each others good pots (with buoy markers) and turning them in:eek:.
5th (Marty)

I wonder how many of those guys got one pot then called it a day? And hired 1 illegal to help him for $50! :D

I here you and I might be fishing off Mark's (Baldzilla) boat this year; think he will give us $50:D.
See you soon, 5th (Marty)

Best I can figure - state owes me about $5,775.00 for all the ones I've found over the years diving.

No wonder they do not want me bringing them up in summertime :D.

Great no matter what to see ghost pots pulled out of the bay.

Better use of the money might be to have the guys put reflective tape and flags on bright orange markers. Then give them to crabbers for free.

More visible means less cut off by boaters.

I think it's great that they remove the ghost pots for lots of reasons. I just hope they can do it effectivly and at a reasonable cost. But; at least they are taking the innitative to actually get something done.

I'm not trying to jack this thread, but I'm really glad they are starting to prosecute the poachers in a seperate court with dedicated judges for their actions:).

5th (Marty)

Apparently disregard for the law don't bother you. Didn't the lady say, that no pots were to be salvaged between April 1 and December 31?

As far as seeing the pots, I have no problem. Of course I watch for them.

There's unfortunately a lot of boaters who don't watch, don't care, or can't comprehend that marker lines don't hang straight down, and they need to pass pots on the downwind or down-tide side.....especially blow-boaters with deep keels.
Bright color requirements would help some but the crabbers also need some way to differentiate their pots from someone else's pots.
This will continue to be a problem.....just goes with the territory of multiple usage of the resources of the Bay.
The pot recovery program is a good program with benefits to all users.