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AUSTIN — For the past 24 years, countless volunteers band together in February to search the Texas coastline for abandoned crab traps. The abandoned traps can foul shrimpers’ nets, snag anglers’ lines, and create unsightly views. In addition, lost or abandoned fishing gear, such as nets, traps and pots continue to catch and kill marine life (called “ghost fishing”). To date, volunteers and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) staff have hauled off nearly 45,000 of these derelict traps, saving an estimated 740,500 blue crabs.
From Feb. 20 to March 1, Texas coastal waters will be closed to crabbing with wire mesh crab traps for 10 days to facilitate the annual volunteer crab trap cleanup. Any traps left in bays — including traps tied to docks — will be assumed abandoned and considered “litter” under state law. This allows volunteers to legally remove any crab traps they find.
Volunteers are essential for the success of the Abandoned Crab Trap Removal Program and are needed to assist with this year’s coastwide effort to remove lost or abandoned traps. To facilitate volunteer efforts, select sites will offer volunteer events on Feb. 21 — these sites are denoted as “facilitated” in the list provided below.
Registration with partner organizations may be required. Additionally, dumpsters or collection areas marked with banners will be available at all sites to receive traps for the duration of the closure.
Volunteers may focus their efforts on Feb. 21 or work at their own pace throughout the closure; traps cannot be removed prior to Feb. 20 or after March 1. Additional opportunities for land-based volunteers are available but limited.
The Coastal Conservation Association Texas, Coastal Bend Bays & Estuaries Program, Galveston Bay Foundation, San Antonio Bay Partnership, Christmas Bay Foundation and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will provide continued support to the 2026 crab trap removal program. In addition, numerous organizations and companies will be volunteering their services.
To participate: Volunteers may pick up free tarps, gloves and additional information at their local TPWD Coastal Fisheries field stations. TPWD requests that volunteers who remove traps both record and submit information about the number of traps they collect as well as document any sightings of diamondback terrapins to Holly Grand at [email protected].
All other legal means of crabbing will not be affected during the closure period for wire crab traps.
For more information, please contact your local TPWD Coastal Fisheries office or Holly Grand via phone at: (361) 431-6003 x822 or via email: crabtrap@ tpwd.texas.gov.
Learn more about the Texas Abandoned Crab Trap Removal Program’s history on the TPWD website.
Images of previous abandoned crab trap cleanups can be found on the TPWD news images page. A You-Tube video produced by TPWD is also available for view.
2026 Crab Trap Drop- Off Sites
SABINE LAKE – Local TPWD coordinator, Carey Gelpi: (409) 983-1104 (ext. 222) Pleasure Island Marina Boat Ramp – Facilitated trap drop-off site GALVESTON BAY – Local TPWD coordinator, Christine Jensen: (281) 534-0110 Jones Lake State Ramp (Fat Boys) — Non-facilitated trap drop-off site Dickinson Bayou SH 146 Bridge Public Boat Ramp — Non-facilitated trap dropoff site Fort Anahuac County Park Boat Ramp — Facilitated trap drop-off site Visit Galveston Bay Foundation’s site for more information about volunteering at this location.
Chocolate Bayou State Boat Ramp FM 2004 — Nonfacilitated trap drop-off site TPWD Dickinson Marine Lab — Non-facilitated trap drop-off site during business hours (M-F, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.)
L.K. Lauderdale Boat Ramp – Non-facilitated trap drop-off site San Luis Pass Boat Ramp – Facilitated trap drop off site Visit Christmas Bay Foundation’s site for more information about volunteering at this location.
MATAGORDA BAY– Local TPWD coordinator, Jessica Geiskopf: (361) 972-6253 Please visit San Antonio Bay Partnership’s site for more information about volunteering throughout the mid-coast.
Matagorda Harbor (Matagorda) – Non-facilitated trap drop-off site Railroad Park (Palacios) – Non-facilitated trap dropoff site SAN ANTONIO BAY – Local TPWD coordinator, Christopher Steffen (361) 983-4425 Please visit San Antonio Bay Partnership’s site for more information about volunteering throughout the mid-coast.
Port O’Connor TPWD Docks — Facilitated trap drop-off site Charlie’s Bait Stand — Non-facilitated trap dropoff site Swan Point / Sanders Park Boat Ramp (Seadrift) – Non-facilitated trap dropoff site Seadrift Marina — Nonfacilitated trap drop-off site Austwell Public Boat Ramp – Non-facilitated trap drop-off site ARANSAS BAY – Local TPWD coordinator, Alyx Bradley: (361) 729-5429 Please visit San Antonio Bay Partnership’s site for more information about volunteering throughout the mid-coast.
Goose Island State Park Boat Ramp – Non-facilitated trap drop-off site CORPUS CHRISTI BAY – Local TPWD coordinator, Donella Strom: (361) 7292328 South Conn Brown Harbor Public Ramp – Non-facilitated trap drop-off site Ransom Channel Public Ramp – Non-facilitated trap drop-off site UPPER LAGUNA MADRE – Local TPWD coordinator, Ethan Getz: (361) 431-6003 Kaufer-Hubert Memorial Boat Ramp – Non-facilitated trap drop-off site LOWER LAGUNA MADRE – Local TPWD coordinator, Jason Ferguson: (956) 3504490 Port Mansfield Navigation District Ramp – Nonfacilitated trap drop-off site Adolfe Thomae County Park – Non-facilitated trap drop-off site
