Reclaiming the Sound from Ghost Fishing

What is the problem?

Lobsters have historically been an important fishery in Long Island Sound. Over decades of harvesting, thousands of traps have been lost or abandoned on the seafloor. Even though no one is tending them, many of these traps continue to “fish” beneath the surface. Once inside, lobsters, crabs, and fish are unable to escape and eventually die, becoming bait that draws in more animals.

This creates a continuous, self‑perpetuating cycle known as ghost fishing, which can further deplete local species, including lobsters, that are already stressed by climate change and pollution.

Why is this important to the area?

It’s estimated that tens of thousands of ghost traps remain scattered across Long Island Sound. Removing them is a long-term effort, and success depends on the expertise of our lobster industry partners. Their knowledge is crucial to the success of this project.

These efforts not only help clean up the Sound and reduce ghost fishing, they also provide scientists with a unique opportunity to study the biodiversity of the region. The Lobster Trap Recovery and Assessment project is uncovering valuable ecological data while restoring balance to the marine environment.

What did we do about it?

In 2022, Project Oceanology and coalition partners launched the Lobster Trap Recovery and Assessment Partnership (L‑TRAP) to address ghost fishing and marine debris. The initiative focuses on spending time on the water locating and retrieving abandoned lobster gear from the seafloor. The L-TRAP partners include: Cornell Cooperative Extension, Save the Sound, The Maritime Aquarium, and Remote Ecologist.

Working side‑by‑side with commercial lobster fishers, whose on‑the‑water expertise is essential, the team reached a major milestone in December 2023: 1,000 traps removed from Long Island Sound!

Since then, the effort has continued to grow. More than 3,530 traps have now been recovered, and the number keeps climbing as the partnership continues this work.

What did we find?

Because this work is ongoing, we continue to learn more with every trip.  As of January 2026 the collective L-TRAP has:

• Removed 3,540 traps from CT waters
• Determined about 74% of all the traps collected have live animals present
• 71% of all the traps collected have dead animals present

These findings highlight both the scale of ghost fishing and the importance of removing lost fishing gear. 

To date, 82 unique species have been documented during the trap surveys.  A few finds include:

• Blood Star, Henricia sanguinolenta 
• Sea spider, class Pycnogonida 
• Northern Star Coral, Astrangia poculata. 

Several non-native species have also been observed: 

• Sea Lemon (Doris pseudoargus)- First observed by our team in October of 2023 a bright yellow nudibranch or sea slug, Doris pseudoargus, also known as a Sea Lemon was collected off the coast of Groton during one of our L-TRAT trips. To date, 10 have been collected.
• Peppermint Shrimp, Lysmata vittata
• Bryuozonans, Amphiblestrum aurituma and Fenestrulian delicia

Who was involved?

The Lobster Trap Recovery and Assessment Partnership (L‑TRAP) brings together a diverse coalition of organizations and experts dedicated to improving the health of Long Island Sound. Partners include Project Oceanology, Save the Sound, The Maritime Aquarium, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County, Remote Ecologist, and members of the commercial fishing industry. By combining scientific expertise, on‑the‑water experience, and community engagement, this collaborative team works collectively to recover lost lobster gear, protect marine habitats, and support a more sustainable future for the region’s fisheries.