Dedicated to diamondback terrapin research, conservation, management and education
The Diamondback Terrapin Working Group was formed in 2004 by individuals from academic, scientific, regulatory and private institutions/organizations working to promote the conservation of the diamondback terrapin, the preservation of intact, wild terrapin populations and their associated ecosystems throughout their range. The Diamondback Terrapin Working Group is committed to and supports research, management, conservation, and education efforts with the above goals in mind.
We welcome new members to the working group and encourage interested parties to join.
About Terrapin Institute
The Terrapin Institute began in 1998 as a consortium of concerned citizens, scientists, resource managers, and educators dedicated to the understanding, persistence, and recovery of Diamondback Terrapins and other turtles through effective management, thorough research, and public outreach. We work to protect an abundance of adult turtle populations, preserve nesting and forage habitat, and improve recruitment. In return the terrapin has become the perfect metaphor for natural resource stewardship and public engagement; the face of estuarine restoration, and a gateway to the many wonders of our rich tidewater heritage.
Tag Cloud
Pub No. 270
October 2017
TERRAPINS AND CRAB TRAPS
Examining interactions between terrapins and
the crab industry in the Gulf of Mexico
GULF STATES MARINE FISHERIES COMMISSION
October 18, 2017
Battle House Renaissance Hotel
Mobile, Alabama
Commissioners and Proxies
ALABAMA
Chris Blankenship, Commissioner
Alabama Department of Conservation
and Natural Resources
64 North Union Street
Montgomery, AL 36130-1901
Representative Steve McMillan
P.O. Box 337
Bay Minette, AL 36507
Chris Nelson
Bon Secour Fisheries, Inc.
P.O. Box 60
Bon Secour, AL 36511
FLORIDA
Nick Wiley, Executive Director
FL Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
620 South Meridian Street
Tallahassee, FL 32399-1600
Proxy:
Dan Ellinor
FL Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
620 South Meridian Box 4B2
Tallahassee, FL 32399-1600
Representative Jay Trumbull
317 House Office Building
402 South Monroe Street
Tallahassee, FL 32399-1100
LOUISIANA
Jack Montoucet, Secretary
Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries
P.O. Box 98000
Baton Rouge, LA 70898-9000
Proxy:
Patrick Banks
Louisiana Dept. of Wildlife and Fisheries
P.O. Box 98000
Baton Rouge, LA 70898-9000
Senator R.L. "Bret" Allain, II
600 Main Street, Suite 1
Franklin, LA 70538
John Roussel
1221 Plains Port Hudson Road
Zachary, LA 70791
MISSISSIPPI
Jamie Miller, Executive Director
Mississippi Department of Marine Resources
1141 Bayview Avenue
Biloxi, MS 39530
Joe Gill, Jr.
Joe Gill Consulting, LLC
P.O. Box 535
Ocean Springs, MS 39566-0535
TEXAS
Carter Smith, Executive Director
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
4200 Smith School Road
Austin, TX 78744
Proxy
Robin Riechers/ Mark Lingo/ Lance Robinson
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
4200 Smith School Road
Austin, TX 78744
Troy Bello Williamson, II
P.O. 967
Corpus Christi, TX 78403
Representative Wayne Faircloth
Texas House of Representatives
2121 Market Street, Suite 205
Galveston, TX 77550
TERRAPINS AND CRAB TRAPS
Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission 68th Annual Meeting
Battle House Renaissance Hotel Mobile, Alabama
October 18, 2017 8:00 a.m. 11:45 a.m.
Agenda
8:00
Welcome and Overview Ms. Christina Mohrman (GoM Alliance)
8:10
Encouraging Fisheries Cooperation in Conservation of the Diamondback Terrapin in
Mississippi Mr. Rick Burris (MDMR)
8:30
Evaluation of Diamondback Terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin) Nesting Ecology throughout
Coastal Louisiana Dr. Steven H. Pearson (LDWF)
8:50
Bycatch in the Commercial Blue Crab Fishery in Louisiana Dr. Julie Lively (LSU AgCenter)
9:10
Terrapins, TEDs, and Disintegration Timelines Dr. Willem Roosenburg (Ohio Univ.)
9:30
Developing monitoring techniques and management tools to understand the conflict
between the blue crab (Callinectes sapidus) fishery and diamondback terrapin (Malaclemys
terrapin macrospilota) populations in Florida Dr. Ryan Gandy (FWC)
9:50
Break
10:15
Regional Overview of Current Terrapin Collaboration Mr. Thomas Mohrman (TNC)
10:45
Current Crab Research and Regulations Related to Reducing Terrapin Interactions
TX Mr. Glen Sutton
LA Mr. Jeffrey Marx
MS Mr. Rick Burris
AL Mr. Jason Herrmann
FL Dr. Ryan Gandy
11:30 Working Together in the Future Ms. Christina Mohrman (GoM Alliance)
11:45
Adjourn
Summary
The general session was an effort to improve communication with the Diamondback Terrapin research
community and the Gulf's crab industry and state agencies. It was intended to begin to change the
narrative and approach to terrapin protection and recovery. Utilizing the working knowledge of the
Commission's Crab Subcommittee (Subcommittee) to meet the research needs of the Diamondback
Terrapin Workgroup (DTWG), it is hoped that we will begin to change the tone regarding interactions
between terrapins and the Gulf's crab industry.
Several presentations were made by members of the Subcommittee and the DTWG related to
management of the commercial crab fishery in the Gulf of Mexico and local/regional terrapin
populations and the effectiveness of bycatch reduction efforts in reducing terrapin mortalities. Following
the presentations, a panel discussion allowed the Subcommittee representatives to explain current
management practices and efforts related to derelict trap removals and bycatch monitoring and
reduction in the fishery.
The panel discussions ended up centering primarily on the use of TEDs in crab traps. Dr. Willem
Roosenburg (Ohio Univ.) described the region in Maryland where he works and noted that they have
extremely high encounters of terrapins drowning in commercial crab pots in that region. He explained
that most turtles in general are very slow to mature, more like whales and sharks. Additionally, terrapins
can live up to 40 years and have relatively low fecundity. Predation on nests is very high, resulting in very
slow population growth. Therefore, when 'pots' are fished heavily in an area, mortality is increased even
more and can result in the elimination of a terrapin population in a matter of a few years. Dr. Roosenburg
noted the lack of terrapins showing up in the derelict traps in the Gulf of Mexico and reported that they
have studied the deterioration rates of carcasses in unfished traps. He indicated that in Maryland, they
rot very quickly and the shells and skeletons disarticulate within about 30 days. The remains end up
falling through the mesh when the trap is recovered during a cleanup and therefore, are not likely to be
recorded. He indicated that, with the warmer waters in the Gulf, the process could be much faster and
we are simply missing the mortality when conducting cleanups.
Dr. Roosenburg challenged the group to consider putting TEDs in our crab traps Gulf-wide. The
Subcommittee members explained the reality of imposing harsh regulations on fishermen when the
majority of traps are not likely to encounter terrapins. There are a number of tools available to managers
to examine options for reducing bycatch rather than making large sweeping regulatory changes. The
biggest issue for fishermen is that most of the TED studies have shown a reduction in crab catches where
they have been implemented. Most crab trap fishermen will never encounter a terrapin and therefore,
this is not something that would be well received and compliance could be difficult to enforce.
When asked what would help the state agencies to better address the terrapin issue, all the states stated
that they need information on where the terrapin populations are and where the best potential nesting
habitats currently exist. Without an understanding of the 'hotspots', managers can't begin to address
the impacts in those areas. By addressing all the potential impacts on terrapins, fishery managers can do
a better job at focusing management into something that is actually beneficial. They pointed out that
they need to vet all the options before they act to make regulations any action must be defensible and
with more information from the DTWG, more useful changes can occur.
It was agreed that the DTWG and the Subcommittee are well on the way to begin develop working
relationships with the terrapin people. Dr. Roosenburg complimented the Gulf on being proactive to
address these issues. He noted that the Atlantic Coast is way behind in dealing with abandoned and lost
crab traps and the Gulf has definitely set a high bar. In addition, the Atlantic states crab community has
very little interaction with the DTWG and this type of a forum and effort is commended. It will go a long
way to improve both fisheries management and threatened or endangered species.
Ms. Harriet Perry (GCRL) suggested that perhaps what is needed in each state is a new type of
subcommittee or task force to bring in terrapin researchers, crab managers, and crab industry
representatives to begin to address some of these issues on a state by state basis. The DTWG is planning
additional meetings regionally and will meet again nationally and will include the Commission's Crab
Subcommittee to perhaps provide some presentations on the work being conducted in the Gulf.
Abstracts
Encouraging Fisheries Cooperation in Conservation of the Diamondback
Terrapin in Mississippi
Mr. Rick Burris, Mississippi Department of Marine Resources
Diamondback Terrapin mortality rates have been linked to nest predation, habitat loss through increased
coastal development, and bycatch within the blue crab fishery. Derelict crab traps lost by fishermen also
pose a threat to terrapins through ghost fishing. The Mississippi Department of Marine Resources, Office
of Marine Fisheries has been actively promoting terrapin conservation through a variety of different
approaches such as encouraging the use of Terrapin Excluder Devices (TEDs) in the blue crab fishery,
increasing public awareness about the potential threats Mississippi's terrapin population face, and
through the removal of derelict crab traps in Mississippi's marine waters. The Mississippi Derelict Crab
Trap Removal Program, the most successful terrapin conservation initiative, through the help of
Mississippi's commercial crab fishermen, has removed and recycled over 21,600 derelict traps from
Mississippi waters since its inception of the program in 1999. The Mississippi Crab Trap Bycatch
Reduction Device/TED Program has also been highly effective in distributing over 19,500 TEDs (4,800
traps) to both commercial and recreational blue crab fishermen.
Evaluation of Diamondback Terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin) Nesting Ecology
throughout Coastal Louisiana
Dr. Steven H. Pearson, Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries
The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) implemented a multi-year (2013-2015)
project which evaluated diamondback terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin) nesting ecology. Diamondback
terrapins are coastally distributed between south central Texas in the Gulf of Mexico along the Gulf and
Atlantic Coast north through Massachusetts. Throughout their range many different biotic and abiotic
factors have been shown to influence terrapin abundance, distribution and nesting success. In Louisiana
our research has been principally focused on determining nest site locations, nest predators, nest surface
characteristics, nest depth, clutch size, egg morphometrics, nest depredation rates and nest
survivorship. Our results indicate that terrapin nesting occurs statewide in locations where suitable
nesting substrates exist. Nests are laid in open areas and beneath dense vegetative cover with surface
slopes in all orientations. Average nest ceiling height is varied between snad and shell hash substrate.
Clutch size averages 5.5 eggs and varies between 1 and 13 eggs. Statewide, average egg morphometrics
are: mass 11.8 g, length 38.1 mm and width 24.5 mm. Depredation rates are between 50 and 100 percent
depending on location. In 2015 we implemented a detailed study within a single nesting site at which 92
nests were surveyed. Within these nests 43% of eggs were depredated, 31% successfully hatched and
the fate of 26% of eggs was not determined. At the nest level 76% of all nests surveyed were fully or
partially depredated while 43% of nests successfully hatched at least 1 egg. Collectively, these data are
considered paramount in determining the overall conservation status of diamondback terrapins within
Louisiana and can be useful in developing restoration projects.
Bycatch in the Commercial Blue Crab Fishery in Louisiana
Dr. Julie A. Lively, Louisiana State University AgCenter and Louisiana Sea Grant
Through a combination of blue crab research studies, our lab has documented the bycatch, specifically
terrapins, across Louisiana since 2011. These research studies include documenting bycatch in a mixture
of derelict fishing gear during clean ups, simulated derelict traps, and baited traps across multiple sites
and seasons. From this information, we have been able to calculate some rates of terrapin catch and
likelihood of encounters.
Terrapins, TEDs, and Disintegration Timelines
Dr. Willem Roosenburg, Center for Ecology and Evolutionary Studies, Ohio University
When first introduced into the commercial crab fishery, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources
commissioned a study to investigate the potential impact of crab pots on bycatch species. That study
published in 1942 identified the crab pots threaten air breathing organisms that lived in the shallows of
Chesapeake Bay including Diamond-backed Terrapins. The result was that crab pot use was restricted to
the open, deeper waters to limit the impacts, in part, on terrapins. Most states do not have similar
location restriction of where crab pots can be used. Since the 1970s, the recreational use of crab pots
was allowed in the previously excluded zones of Chesapeake Bay posing a threat to terrapins in areas
where they were previously immune. In 1981 the first study quantified the impact of crab pots on
terrapins in North Carolina, but subsequent studies in several states began to raise the alarm about crab
pots and their substantial impact including data of high terrapin catch rates that can quickly extirpate
local populations. Turtle excluder devices or bycatch reduction devices were developed, tested and
required in some states, particularly in the near shore use of crab pots to reduce terrapin mortality.
Nonetheless, resistance from recreational and commercial fisheries has cited the absence of terrapins in
current day catches and recovered ghost crab pots as justification that terrapins are minimally affected.
The surprisingly rapid decomposition of terrapins in crab pots and widespread reduction in their
populations by a long-term fishery throughout the range have reduced crabbers' interactions with
terrapins. My talk will integrate the history of crab pots and terrapin interactions, crab pots' potential
to cause terrapin population decline and why terrapins are rarely encountered in abandoned crab pots,
and discuss testing turtle excluder devices and implementing regulations with a hopeful eye toward the
reduction of terrapin mortality in crab pots.
Developing Monitoring Techniques and Management Tools to Understand
the Conflict between the Blue Crab (Callinectes sapidus) Fishery and
Diamondback Terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin macrospilota) Populations in
Florida
Dr. Ryan Gandy, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
The diamondback terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin macrospilota) shares Florida's coastal zone with the
blue crab (Callinectes sapidus) and its associated fishery. Several subspecies of diamondback terrapin
collectively inhabit coastal zones throughout Florida, three are endemic and all share the potential for
interaction with blue crab traps. Seasonal terrapin behaviors and commercial crab fishing patterns vary
spatially and temporally in Florida and necessitate the development of a science-based mechanism for
informed management decisions. Data from investigations into the development of standardized and
habitat specific population survey methods, trap mortality, and maps of blue crab fishery effort within
terrapin population 'hot spots' in Florida are presented.
Regional Overview of Current Terrapin Collaboration
Mr. Thomas Mohrman, The Nature Conservancy
The Diamondback Terrapin Working Group provides a forum for terrapin stakeholders to communicate,
present, and collaborate research, outreach, and conservation efforts. In the Gulf Coast Region efforts
have been made recently to increase this collaboration and effect outcomes at a regional scale. Two
examples of this type of collaboration will be presented, demonstrating how stakeholders from each
Gulf State have worked together.
Panel Round Table - Current Crab Research and Regulations Related to
Reducing Terrapin Interactions
Mr. Glen Sutton, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
Mr. Jeffrey Marx, Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries
Mr. Rick Burris, Mississippi Department of Marine Resources
Mr. Jason Herrmann, Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural
Resource/Marine Resources Division
Dr. Ryan Gandy, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
Ms. Harriet Perry, Gulf Coast Research Laboratory (USM)
Presenters and Participants
Dr. Willem M Roosenburg
Center for Ecology and Evolutionary Studies
Department of Biological Sciences
247 Life Sciences Building
Ohio University
Athens, OH 45701
roosenbu@ohio.edu
Mr. Rick Burris
Shrimp & Crab Bureau Director
Office of Marine Fisheries
Mississippi Department of Marine Resources
1141 Bayview Avenue
Biloxi, MS 39530
rick.burris@dmr.ms.gov
Dr. Steven H. Pearson
Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries
646 Cajundome Blvd.
Lafayette, LA 70501
spearson@wlf.la.gov
Mr. Thomas Mohrman
Director of Marine Programs
The Nature Conservancy
Mississippi Field Office
10910 Highway 57, Suite C
Vancleave, MS 39564
tmohrman@tnc.org
Mr. Jason Herrmann
Alabama Dept. of Conservation and Natural
Resources
Marine Resources Division
P.O. Box 189
Dauphin Island, AL 36528
jason.herrmann@dcnr.alabama.gov
Dr. Julie A. Lively
Louisiana State University AgCenter & Louisiana
Sea Grant
114 School of Renewable Natural Resources
Building
Baton Rouge, LA 70803
JAnderson@agcenter.lsu.edu
Mr. Glen Sutton
Coastal Fisheries Division
Dickinson Marine Lab
1502 FM 517 East
Dickinson, TX 77539
Glen.sutton@tpwd.texas.gov
Ms. Christina Mohrman
Gulf of Mexico Alliance
1151 Robinson Street
Ocean Springs, MS 39564
Christina.Mohrman@gomxa.org
Mr. Jeffery Marx
Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries
2415 Darnall Road
New Iberia, LA 70560
Jeffrey Marx jmarx@wlf.la.gov
Dr Ryan Gandy
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation
Commission
FWRI Crustacean Fisheries
100 8th Avenue Southeast
St. Petersburg, FL 33701
Ryan.gandy@myfwc.com
Ms. Harriet Perry
Gulf Coast Research Laboratory (USM)
703 East Beach
Ocean Springs, MS 39564
harriet.perry@usm.edu
Attendees
Mr. Ray Allen
Coastal Bend Bays and Estuaries Program
rallen@cbbep.org
Mr. Chris Blankenship
Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural
Resources
chris.blankenship@dcnr.alabama.gov
Mr. Ryan Bradley
Mississippi Commercial Fisheries United
mscfuwebs@gmail.com
Mr. Steve Brown
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
steve.brown@myfwc.com
Ms. Brittany Chudzik
Mississippi Department of Marine Resources
brittany.chudzik@dmr.ms.gov
Ms. Claire Crowley
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
claire.crowley@myfwc.com
Mr. Dan Ellinor
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
daniel.ellinor@myfwc.com
Ms. Traci Floyd
Mississippi Department of Marine Resources
traci.floyd@dmr.ms.gov
Ms. Jennifer Frey
Mississippi Department of Marine Resources
jennifer.frey@dmr.ms.gov
Mr. Wade Hardy
Mississippi Department of Marine Resources
wade.hardy@dmr.ms.gov
Mr. Matt Hill
Mississippi Department of Marine Resources
matt.hill@dmr.ms.gov
Ms. Tiffany Hopper
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
tiffany.hopper@tpwd.texas.gov
Mr. Mark Lingo
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
mark.lingo@tpwd.texas.gov
Mr. Jerry Mambretti
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
jerry.mambretti@tpwd.texas.gov
Mr. John Mareska
Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural
Resources/Marine Resources Division/Marine
Resources Division
john.mareska@dcnr.alabama.gov
Dr. Ken Marion
University of Alabama at Birmingham
kmarion@uab.edu
Dr. Paul Mickle
Mississippi Department of Marine Resources
paul.mickle@dmr.ms.gov
Ms. Jaime Miller
Alabama Marine Resources Division
jaime.miller@dcnr.alabama.gov
Mr. Jamie Miller
Mississippi Department of Marine Resources
jamie.miller@dmr.ms.gov
Mr. Trevor Moncrief
Mississippi Department of Marine Resources
trevor.moncrief@dmr.ms.gov
Mr. Todd Neahr
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
todd.neahr@myfwc.com
Mr. Craig Newton
Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural
Resources/Marine Resources Division/Marine
Resources Division
craig.newton@dcnr.alabama.gov
Mr. Corky Perret
corky.perret@bellsouth.net
Mr. Andrew Peterson
Bluefin Data
andrew@bluefindata.com
Ms. Laura Picariello
Audubon Nature Institute
lpicariello@auduboninstitute.org
Ms. Ashford Rosenberg
Audubon Nature Institute
arosenberg@auduboninstitute.org
Mr. Jimmy Sanders
Mississippi Department of Marine Resources
james.sanders@dmr.ms.gov
Ms. Dominique Seibert
Louisiana Sea Grant
dseibert@agcenter.lsu.edu
Mr. Mike Shelton
Weeks Bay NERR
mike.shelton@dcnr.alabama.gov
Dr. Tom Sminkey
National Marine Fisheries Service
Tom.sminkey@noaa.gov
Ms. Carly Somerset
Mississippi Department of Marine Resources
carly.somerset@dmr.ms.gov
Ms. Betty Staugler
Florida Sea Grant Extension
staugler@ufl.edu
Mr. Darrin Stewart
Mississippi Department of Marine Resources
darrin.stewart@dmr.ms.gov
Mr. Ed Swindell
Marine Process Services, LLC
edswindell@aol.com
Mr. Darin Topping
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
darin.topping@tpwd.texas.gov
Mr. Steve Turner
National Marine Fisheries Service
steve.turner@noaa.gov
Mr. Tom Wagner
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
tom.wagner@tpwd.texas.gov
Dr. Thane Wibbels
University of Alabama at Birmingham
twibbels@uab.edu
Mr. Travis Williams
Mississippi Department of Marine Resources
travis.williams@dmr.ms.gov
Mr. Heron Wise Mississippi Department of Marine
Resources
Heron.wise@dmr.ms.gov
Remote Attendees
Mr. Bryan Alleman
Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries
balleman@wlf.la.gov
Dr. Mike Allen
University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural
Sciences, Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
msal@ufl.edu
Mr. Jeff Brunson
South Carolina Department of Natural Resources
brunsonj@dnr.sc.gov
Ms. Marin Hawk
Marine Stewardship Council
marin.hawk@msc.org
Ms. Jessica Matos
Gulf of Mexico Fisheries Management Council
jessica.matos@gulfcouncil.org
Ms. Tina Moore
North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural
Resources
tina.moore@ncdenr.gov
Mr. Jason Rock
North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural
Resources
jason.rock@ncdenr.gov
Mr. Jeffrey Schwenter
South Carolina Department of Natural Resources
schwenterj@dnr.sc.gov
Mr. Jon Wiebe
Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries
jwiebe@wlf.la.gov
Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission
2404 Government Street
Ocean Springs, Mississippi, 39564
October 2017
TERRAPINS AND CRAB TRAPS
Examining interactions between terrapins and
the crab industry in the Gulf of Mexico
GULF STATES MARINE FISHERIES COMMISSION
October 18, 2017
Battle House Renaissance Hotel
Mobile, Alabama
Commissioners and Proxies
ALABAMA
Chris Blankenship, Commissioner
Alabama Department of Conservation
and Natural Resources
64 North Union Street
Montgomery, AL 36130-1901
Representative Steve McMillan
P.O. Box 337
Bay Minette, AL 36507
Chris Nelson
Bon Secour Fisheries, Inc.
P.O. Box 60
Bon Secour, AL 36511
FLORIDA
Nick Wiley, Executive Director
FL Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
620 South Meridian Street
Tallahassee, FL 32399-1600
Proxy:
Dan Ellinor
FL Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
620 South Meridian Box 4B2
Tallahassee, FL 32399-1600
Representative Jay Trumbull
317 House Office Building
402 South Monroe Street
Tallahassee, FL 32399-1100
LOUISIANA
Jack Montoucet, Secretary
Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries
P.O. Box 98000
Baton Rouge, LA 70898-9000
Proxy:
Patrick Banks
Louisiana Dept. of Wildlife and Fisheries
P.O. Box 98000
Baton Rouge, LA 70898-9000
Senator R.L. "Bret" Allain, II
600 Main Street, Suite 1
Franklin, LA 70538
John Roussel
1221 Plains Port Hudson Road
Zachary, LA 70791
MISSISSIPPI
Jamie Miller, Executive Director
Mississippi Department of Marine Resources
1141 Bayview Avenue
Biloxi, MS 39530
Joe Gill, Jr.
Joe Gill Consulting, LLC
P.O. Box 535
Ocean Springs, MS 39566-0535
TEXAS
Carter Smith, Executive Director
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
4200 Smith School Road
Austin, TX 78744
Proxy
Robin Riechers/ Mark Lingo/ Lance Robinson
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
4200 Smith School Road
Austin, TX 78744
Troy Bello Williamson, II
P.O. 967
Corpus Christi, TX 78403
Representative Wayne Faircloth
Texas House of Representatives
2121 Market Street, Suite 205
Galveston, TX 77550
TERRAPINS AND CRAB TRAPS
Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission 68th Annual Meeting
Battle House Renaissance Hotel Mobile, Alabama
October 18, 2017 8:00 a.m. 11:45 a.m.
Agenda
8:00
Welcome and Overview Ms. Christina Mohrman (GoM Alliance)
8:10
Encouraging Fisheries Cooperation in Conservation of the Diamondback Terrapin in
Mississippi Mr. Rick Burris (MDMR)
8:30
Evaluation of Diamondback Terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin) Nesting Ecology throughout
Coastal Louisiana Dr. Steven H. Pearson (LDWF)
8:50
Bycatch in the Commercial Blue Crab Fishery in Louisiana Dr. Julie Lively (LSU AgCenter)
9:10
Terrapins, TEDs, and Disintegration Timelines Dr. Willem Roosenburg (Ohio Univ.)
9:30
Developing monitoring techniques and management tools to understand the conflict
between the blue crab (Callinectes sapidus) fishery and diamondback terrapin (Malaclemys
terrapin macrospilota) populations in Florida Dr. Ryan Gandy (FWC)
9:50
Break
10:15
Regional Overview of Current Terrapin Collaboration Mr. Thomas Mohrman (TNC)
10:45
Current Crab Research and Regulations Related to Reducing Terrapin Interactions
TX Mr. Glen Sutton
LA Mr. Jeffrey Marx
MS Mr. Rick Burris
AL Mr. Jason Herrmann
FL Dr. Ryan Gandy
11:30 Working Together in the Future Ms. Christina Mohrman (GoM Alliance)
11:45
Adjourn
Summary
The general session was an effort to improve communication with the Diamondback Terrapin research
community and the Gulf's crab industry and state agencies. It was intended to begin to change the
narrative and approach to terrapin protection and recovery. Utilizing the working knowledge of the
Commission's Crab Subcommittee (Subcommittee) to meet the research needs of the Diamondback
Terrapin Workgroup (DTWG), it is hoped that we will begin to change the tone regarding interactions
between terrapins and the Gulf's crab industry.
Several presentations were made by members of the Subcommittee and the DTWG related to
management of the commercial crab fishery in the Gulf of Mexico and local/regional terrapin
populations and the effectiveness of bycatch reduction efforts in reducing terrapin mortalities. Following
the presentations, a panel discussion allowed the Subcommittee representatives to explain current
management practices and efforts related to derelict trap removals and bycatch monitoring and
reduction in the fishery.
The panel discussions ended up centering primarily on the use of TEDs in crab traps. Dr. Willem
Roosenburg (Ohio Univ.) described the region in Maryland where he works and noted that they have
extremely high encounters of terrapins drowning in commercial crab pots in that region. He explained
that most turtles in general are very slow to mature, more like whales and sharks. Additionally, terrapins
can live up to 40 years and have relatively low fecundity. Predation on nests is very high, resulting in very
slow population growth. Therefore, when 'pots' are fished heavily in an area, mortality is increased even
more and can result in the elimination of a terrapin population in a matter of a few years. Dr. Roosenburg
noted the lack of terrapins showing up in the derelict traps in the Gulf of Mexico and reported that they
have studied the deterioration rates of carcasses in unfished traps. He indicated that in Maryland, they
rot very quickly and the shells and skeletons disarticulate within about 30 days. The remains end up
falling through the mesh when the trap is recovered during a cleanup and therefore, are not likely to be
recorded. He indicated that, with the warmer waters in the Gulf, the process could be much faster and
we are simply missing the mortality when conducting cleanups.
Dr. Roosenburg challenged the group to consider putting TEDs in our crab traps Gulf-wide. The
Subcommittee members explained the reality of imposing harsh regulations on fishermen when the
majority of traps are not likely to encounter terrapins. There are a number of tools available to managers
to examine options for reducing bycatch rather than making large sweeping regulatory changes. The
biggest issue for fishermen is that most of the TED studies have shown a reduction in crab catches where
they have been implemented. Most crab trap fishermen will never encounter a terrapin and therefore,
this is not something that would be well received and compliance could be difficult to enforce.
When asked what would help the state agencies to better address the terrapin issue, all the states stated
that they need information on where the terrapin populations are and where the best potential nesting
habitats currently exist. Without an understanding of the 'hotspots', managers can't begin to address
the impacts in those areas. By addressing all the potential impacts on terrapins, fishery managers can do
a better job at focusing management into something that is actually beneficial. They pointed out that
they need to vet all the options before they act to make regulations any action must be defensible and
with more information from the DTWG, more useful changes can occur.
It was agreed that the DTWG and the Subcommittee are well on the way to begin develop working
relationships with the terrapin people. Dr. Roosenburg complimented the Gulf on being proactive to
address these issues. He noted that the Atlantic Coast is way behind in dealing with abandoned and lost
crab traps and the Gulf has definitely set a high bar. In addition, the Atlantic states crab community has
very little interaction with the DTWG and this type of a forum and effort is commended. It will go a long
way to improve both fisheries management and threatened or endangered species.
Ms. Harriet Perry (GCRL) suggested that perhaps what is needed in each state is a new type of
subcommittee or task force to bring in terrapin researchers, crab managers, and crab industry
representatives to begin to address some of these issues on a state by state basis. The DTWG is planning
additional meetings regionally and will meet again nationally and will include the Commission's Crab
Subcommittee to perhaps provide some presentations on the work being conducted in the Gulf.
Abstracts
Encouraging Fisheries Cooperation in Conservation of the Diamondback
Terrapin in Mississippi
Mr. Rick Burris, Mississippi Department of Marine Resources
Diamondback Terrapin mortality rates have been linked to nest predation, habitat loss through increased
coastal development, and bycatch within the blue crab fishery. Derelict crab traps lost by fishermen also
pose a threat to terrapins through ghost fishing. The Mississippi Department of Marine Resources, Office
of Marine Fisheries has been actively promoting terrapin conservation through a variety of different
approaches such as encouraging the use of Terrapin Excluder Devices (TEDs) in the blue crab fishery,
increasing public awareness about the potential threats Mississippi's terrapin population face, and
through the removal of derelict crab traps in Mississippi's marine waters. The Mississippi Derelict Crab
Trap Removal Program, the most successful terrapin conservation initiative, through the help of
Mississippi's commercial crab fishermen, has removed and recycled over 21,600 derelict traps from
Mississippi waters since its inception of the program in 1999. The Mississippi Crab Trap Bycatch
Reduction Device/TED Program has also been highly effective in distributing over 19,500 TEDs (4,800
traps) to both commercial and recreational blue crab fishermen.
Evaluation of Diamondback Terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin) Nesting Ecology
throughout Coastal Louisiana
Dr. Steven H. Pearson, Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries
The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) implemented a multi-year (2013-2015)
project which evaluated diamondback terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin) nesting ecology. Diamondback
terrapins are coastally distributed between south central Texas in the Gulf of Mexico along the Gulf and
Atlantic Coast north through Massachusetts. Throughout their range many different biotic and abiotic
factors have been shown to influence terrapin abundance, distribution and nesting success. In Louisiana
our research has been principally focused on determining nest site locations, nest predators, nest surface
characteristics, nest depth, clutch size, egg morphometrics, nest depredation rates and nest
survivorship. Our results indicate that terrapin nesting occurs statewide in locations where suitable
nesting substrates exist. Nests are laid in open areas and beneath dense vegetative cover with surface
slopes in all orientations. Average nest ceiling height is varied between snad and shell hash substrate.
Clutch size averages 5.5 eggs and varies between 1 and 13 eggs. Statewide, average egg morphometrics
are: mass 11.8 g, length 38.1 mm and width 24.5 mm. Depredation rates are between 50 and 100 percent
depending on location. In 2015 we implemented a detailed study within a single nesting site at which 92
nests were surveyed. Within these nests 43% of eggs were depredated, 31% successfully hatched and
the fate of 26% of eggs was not determined. At the nest level 76% of all nests surveyed were fully or
partially depredated while 43% of nests successfully hatched at least 1 egg. Collectively, these data are
considered paramount in determining the overall conservation status of diamondback terrapins within
Louisiana and can be useful in developing restoration projects.
Bycatch in the Commercial Blue Crab Fishery in Louisiana
Dr. Julie A. Lively, Louisiana State University AgCenter and Louisiana Sea Grant
Through a combination of blue crab research studies, our lab has documented the bycatch, specifically
terrapins, across Louisiana since 2011. These research studies include documenting bycatch in a mixture
of derelict fishing gear during clean ups, simulated derelict traps, and baited traps across multiple sites
and seasons. From this information, we have been able to calculate some rates of terrapin catch and
likelihood of encounters.
Terrapins, TEDs, and Disintegration Timelines
Dr. Willem Roosenburg, Center for Ecology and Evolutionary Studies, Ohio University
When first introduced into the commercial crab fishery, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources
commissioned a study to investigate the potential impact of crab pots on bycatch species. That study
published in 1942 identified the crab pots threaten air breathing organisms that lived in the shallows of
Chesapeake Bay including Diamond-backed Terrapins. The result was that crab pot use was restricted to
the open, deeper waters to limit the impacts, in part, on terrapins. Most states do not have similar
location restriction of where crab pots can be used. Since the 1970s, the recreational use of crab pots
was allowed in the previously excluded zones of Chesapeake Bay posing a threat to terrapins in areas
where they were previously immune. In 1981 the first study quantified the impact of crab pots on
terrapins in North Carolina, but subsequent studies in several states began to raise the alarm about crab
pots and their substantial impact including data of high terrapin catch rates that can quickly extirpate
local populations. Turtle excluder devices or bycatch reduction devices were developed, tested and
required in some states, particularly in the near shore use of crab pots to reduce terrapin mortality.
Nonetheless, resistance from recreational and commercial fisheries has cited the absence of terrapins in
current day catches and recovered ghost crab pots as justification that terrapins are minimally affected.
The surprisingly rapid decomposition of terrapins in crab pots and widespread reduction in their
populations by a long-term fishery throughout the range have reduced crabbers' interactions with
terrapins. My talk will integrate the history of crab pots and terrapin interactions, crab pots' potential
to cause terrapin population decline and why terrapins are rarely encountered in abandoned crab pots,
and discuss testing turtle excluder devices and implementing regulations with a hopeful eye toward the
reduction of terrapin mortality in crab pots.
Developing Monitoring Techniques and Management Tools to Understand
the Conflict between the Blue Crab (Callinectes sapidus) Fishery and
Diamondback Terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin macrospilota) Populations in
Florida
Dr. Ryan Gandy, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
The diamondback terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin macrospilota) shares Florida's coastal zone with the
blue crab (Callinectes sapidus) and its associated fishery. Several subspecies of diamondback terrapin
collectively inhabit coastal zones throughout Florida, three are endemic and all share the potential for
interaction with blue crab traps. Seasonal terrapin behaviors and commercial crab fishing patterns vary
spatially and temporally in Florida and necessitate the development of a science-based mechanism for
informed management decisions. Data from investigations into the development of standardized and
habitat specific population survey methods, trap mortality, and maps of blue crab fishery effort within
terrapin population 'hot spots' in Florida are presented.
Regional Overview of Current Terrapin Collaboration
Mr. Thomas Mohrman, The Nature Conservancy
The Diamondback Terrapin Working Group provides a forum for terrapin stakeholders to communicate,
present, and collaborate research, outreach, and conservation efforts. In the Gulf Coast Region efforts
have been made recently to increase this collaboration and effect outcomes at a regional scale. Two
examples of this type of collaboration will be presented, demonstrating how stakeholders from each
Gulf State have worked together.
Panel Round Table - Current Crab Research and Regulations Related to
Reducing Terrapin Interactions
Mr. Glen Sutton, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
Mr. Jeffrey Marx, Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries
Mr. Rick Burris, Mississippi Department of Marine Resources
Mr. Jason Herrmann, Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural
Resource/Marine Resources Division
Dr. Ryan Gandy, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
Ms. Harriet Perry, Gulf Coast Research Laboratory (USM)
Presenters and Participants
Dr. Willem M Roosenburg
Center for Ecology and Evolutionary Studies
Department of Biological Sciences
247 Life Sciences Building
Ohio University
Athens, OH 45701
roosenbu@ohio.edu
Mr. Rick Burris
Shrimp & Crab Bureau Director
Office of Marine Fisheries
Mississippi Department of Marine Resources
1141 Bayview Avenue
Biloxi, MS 39530
rick.burris@dmr.ms.gov
Dr. Steven H. Pearson
Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries
646 Cajundome Blvd.
Lafayette, LA 70501
spearson@wlf.la.gov
Mr. Thomas Mohrman
Director of Marine Programs
The Nature Conservancy
Mississippi Field Office
10910 Highway 57, Suite C
Vancleave, MS 39564
tmohrman@tnc.org
Mr. Jason Herrmann
Alabama Dept. of Conservation and Natural
Resources
Marine Resources Division
P.O. Box 189
Dauphin Island, AL 36528
jason.herrmann@dcnr.alabama.gov
Dr. Julie A. Lively
Louisiana State University AgCenter & Louisiana
Sea Grant
114 School of Renewable Natural Resources
Building
Baton Rouge, LA 70803
JAnderson@agcenter.lsu.edu
Mr. Glen Sutton
Coastal Fisheries Division
Dickinson Marine Lab
1502 FM 517 East
Dickinson, TX 77539
Glen.sutton@tpwd.texas.gov
Ms. Christina Mohrman
Gulf of Mexico Alliance
1151 Robinson Street
Ocean Springs, MS 39564
Christina.Mohrman@gomxa.org
Mr. Jeffery Marx
Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries
2415 Darnall Road
New Iberia, LA 70560
Jeffrey Marx jmarx@wlf.la.gov
Dr Ryan Gandy
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation
Commission
FWRI Crustacean Fisheries
100 8th Avenue Southeast
St. Petersburg, FL 33701
Ryan.gandy@myfwc.com
Ms. Harriet Perry
Gulf Coast Research Laboratory (USM)
703 East Beach
Ocean Springs, MS 39564
harriet.perry@usm.edu
Attendees
Mr. Ray Allen
Coastal Bend Bays and Estuaries Program
rallen@cbbep.org
Mr. Chris Blankenship
Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural
Resources
chris.blankenship@dcnr.alabama.gov
Mr. Ryan Bradley
Mississippi Commercial Fisheries United
mscfuwebs@gmail.com
Mr. Steve Brown
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
steve.brown@myfwc.com
Ms. Brittany Chudzik
Mississippi Department of Marine Resources
brittany.chudzik@dmr.ms.gov
Ms. Claire Crowley
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
claire.crowley@myfwc.com
Mr. Dan Ellinor
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
daniel.ellinor@myfwc.com
Ms. Traci Floyd
Mississippi Department of Marine Resources
traci.floyd@dmr.ms.gov
Ms. Jennifer Frey
Mississippi Department of Marine Resources
jennifer.frey@dmr.ms.gov
Mr. Wade Hardy
Mississippi Department of Marine Resources
wade.hardy@dmr.ms.gov
Mr. Matt Hill
Mississippi Department of Marine Resources
matt.hill@dmr.ms.gov
Ms. Tiffany Hopper
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
tiffany.hopper@tpwd.texas.gov
Mr. Mark Lingo
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
mark.lingo@tpwd.texas.gov
Mr. Jerry Mambretti
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
jerry.mambretti@tpwd.texas.gov
Mr. John Mareska
Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural
Resources/Marine Resources Division/Marine
Resources Division
john.mareska@dcnr.alabama.gov
Dr. Ken Marion
University of Alabama at Birmingham
kmarion@uab.edu
Dr. Paul Mickle
Mississippi Department of Marine Resources
paul.mickle@dmr.ms.gov
Ms. Jaime Miller
Alabama Marine Resources Division
jaime.miller@dcnr.alabama.gov
Mr. Jamie Miller
Mississippi Department of Marine Resources
jamie.miller@dmr.ms.gov
Mr. Trevor Moncrief
Mississippi Department of Marine Resources
trevor.moncrief@dmr.ms.gov
Mr. Todd Neahr
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
todd.neahr@myfwc.com
Mr. Craig Newton
Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural
Resources/Marine Resources Division/Marine
Resources Division
craig.newton@dcnr.alabama.gov
Mr. Corky Perret
corky.perret@bellsouth.net
Mr. Andrew Peterson
Bluefin Data
andrew@bluefindata.com
Ms. Laura Picariello
Audubon Nature Institute
lpicariello@auduboninstitute.org
Ms. Ashford Rosenberg
Audubon Nature Institute
arosenberg@auduboninstitute.org
Mr. Jimmy Sanders
Mississippi Department of Marine Resources
james.sanders@dmr.ms.gov
Ms. Dominique Seibert
Louisiana Sea Grant
dseibert@agcenter.lsu.edu
Mr. Mike Shelton
Weeks Bay NERR
mike.shelton@dcnr.alabama.gov
Dr. Tom Sminkey
National Marine Fisheries Service
Tom.sminkey@noaa.gov
Ms. Carly Somerset
Mississippi Department of Marine Resources
carly.somerset@dmr.ms.gov
Ms. Betty Staugler
Florida Sea Grant Extension
staugler@ufl.edu
Mr. Darrin Stewart
Mississippi Department of Marine Resources
darrin.stewart@dmr.ms.gov
Mr. Ed Swindell
Marine Process Services, LLC
edswindell@aol.com
Mr. Darin Topping
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
darin.topping@tpwd.texas.gov
Mr. Steve Turner
National Marine Fisheries Service
steve.turner@noaa.gov
Mr. Tom Wagner
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
tom.wagner@tpwd.texas.gov
Dr. Thane Wibbels
University of Alabama at Birmingham
twibbels@uab.edu
Mr. Travis Williams
Mississippi Department of Marine Resources
travis.williams@dmr.ms.gov
Mr. Heron Wise Mississippi Department of Marine
Resources
Heron.wise@dmr.ms.gov
Remote Attendees
Mr. Bryan Alleman
Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries
balleman@wlf.la.gov
Dr. Mike Allen
University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural
Sciences, Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
msal@ufl.edu
Mr. Jeff Brunson
South Carolina Department of Natural Resources
brunsonj@dnr.sc.gov
Ms. Marin Hawk
Marine Stewardship Council
marin.hawk@msc.org
Ms. Jessica Matos
Gulf of Mexico Fisheries Management Council
jessica.matos@gulfcouncil.org
Ms. Tina Moore
North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural
Resources
tina.moore@ncdenr.gov
Mr. Jason Rock
North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural
Resources
jason.rock@ncdenr.gov
Mr. Jeffrey Schwenter
South Carolina Department of Natural Resources
schwenterj@dnr.sc.gov
Mr. Jon Wiebe
Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries
jwiebe@wlf.la.gov
Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission
2404 Government Street
Ocean Springs, Mississippi, 39564