Santa Barbara Channelkeeper to clean up old lobster traps at local beaches

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. -- Volunteers with the Santa Barbara Channelkeeper along with commercial fishing members will clean up old and damaged lobster traps along the Santa Barbara coastline this weekend.

The volunteers and members will begin their clean up at Ellwood Beach at 9 a.m. on Saturday. They will then move north toward Haskell's Beach.

Volunteers will dig out partially buried traps and prepare them to be loaded onto a commercial fishing ship for proper disposal.

The organization launched a Watershed Brigade initiative back in May with hopes to clear marine debris from local beaches.

They found that there were many old and broken lobster traps along the local beaches and decided to remove the traps.

Ghost traps, as they are called, can often entangle marine organisms, release micro-plastics and are a safety hazard to both ships and beachgoers before washing up ashore as pollution.

The U.S. Department of Fish and Wildlife calls marine debris “one of the most pervasive threats to the health of the world’s coastal areas, oceans, and waterways." Derelict fishing gear can "injure or kill marine and coastal wildlife, damage and degrade habitats, interfere with navigational safety, cause economic loss to fishing and maritime industries, and threaten human health and safety,” Fish and Wildlife said.

Ben Pitterle, Channelkeeper’s Interim Executive Director, said the Watershed Brigade was designed for exactly this kind of project.

“Our community is full of individuals who want to make a difference and help keep our beaches, creeks, and backcountry free of litter. By working together, we can help remove thousands of pounds of derelict fishing gear that would otherwise have persisted on this beach for years and years.”

To sign up for this clean up event, click here.

For more information on Santa Barbara Channelkeeper, click here.