Lost Pots Kill Crabs

There are an estimated 12,193 lost crab pots in Puget Sound each year. A single lost crab pot without escape cord can kill up to 30 crabs until deterioration. That adds up to 180,000 harvestable crabs lost each year.

Secure crab pot lids and escape panels with biodegradable cotton cord: escape cord. This will allow crabs to escape from lost pots after the cord degrades. Escape cord must be no more than 120 thread count. An easy rule of thumb is to use cord that is 1/16 - 1/8 inch in diameter.

Learn more on how to prevent lost pots.

What is Escape Cord?

Escape cord is cotton cord that will dissolve over time if a crab pot is lost, allowing trapped crabs and other marine species to escape.

When a crab pot is lost underwater, the crabs trapped inside eventually die and serve as bait for more crabs over time. New crabs crawl inside to eat, and then find themselves trapped as well. Eventually the crab pot fills up with crabs that have been sealed inside by the metal or plastic ties that keep the pot acting like a trap long after it should.

Click below to watch a short video on escape cord by high school student Taylor Brown produced as part of her senior culminating project.

Escape cord: cotton string that will wear away before the pot fills up, allowing crabs to move in and out of it without being trapped. It's strong enough to hold for the duration of crabbing season, but won't continue to trap crabs after the pot is no longer useful.

For more information, contact Don Velasquez at the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife at 425-775-1311, extension 112.

Site information courtesy of the Northwest Straits Marine Conservation Initative.