DNR Reminds Recreation Crabbers To Install Turtle Excluders

Annapolis, MD — The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) would like to remind recreational crabbers to install the required turtle excluder or Bycatch Reduction Device (BRD) on their crab pots.

BRDs function by not allowing most terrapins to get their shells through the opening into the crab pot, which prevents the drowning of terrapins and other marine mammals. BRDs still allow crabs to enter the pot and do not impact the size or number of crabs caught.

This crabbing season, remember to check for turtle excluders in the funnel of each existing crab pot, and be sure to ask for turtle excluders when purchasing crab pots. For more information about turtle excluders, visit http://www.dnr.state.md.us/wildlife/pdfs/2010TerrapinBrochure.pdf.

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR), which celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2009, is the state agency responsible for providing natural and living resource-related services to citizens and visitors. DNR manages more than 467,000 acres of public lands and 17,000 miles of waterways, along with Maryland's forests, fisheries, and wildlife for maximum environmental, economic and quality of life benefits. A national leader in land conservation, DNR-managed parks and natural, historic, and cultural resources attract 12 million visitors annually. DNR is the lead agency in Maryland's effort to restore the Chesapeake Bay, the state's number one environmental priority. Learn more at www.dnr.maryland.gov