A community dive team in Sidney, British Columbia, recently spent time removing abandoned crab traps from the ocean floor to help protect the local marine environment. The group focused on a popular area for recreational crabbing to clear out old equipment that had been left behind.
These lost items are often called ghost gear because they can continue to trap and kill marine life long after they have been misplaced. The volunteer dive team is working to stop this ghost fishing and improve the health of the local bay.
This local effort is a grassroots movement started by community members who are concerned about the impact of fishing gear on the ecosystem. The divers are now calling for more people to get involved with future cleanup projects in the area.
According to Fisheries and Oceans Canada, crab fishing by trap is strictly regulated, with the next management cycle set to begin on April 1, 2026. While official rules exist for how traps should be used, these volunteers are taking it upon themselves to handle the cleanup of gear that has already been lost.
