Contact: Cheri Patterson: (603) 868-1095 Jay Martin: (603) 271-3211 April 5, 2021

Durham, NH – If you’re out enjoying New Hampshire’s coastal beaches on Saturday, April 17, you may see more activity than usual. The Granite State’s commercial fishing community and volunteers will be busy that day collecting lobster traps and other fishing gear that winter storms have washed up onto the shoreline.

The clean-up event will begin at 8:00 a.m. on April 17 in both Rye Harbor and the Hampton Harbor State Marina. Individuals with a commercial lobster trap license of any sort are invited to participate in this year’s derelict trap cleanup efforts.

This annual endeavor is a partnership among the New Hampshire Commercial Fishermen’s Association, the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department, the New Hampshire Division of Ports and Harbors, the Hampton Public Works Department, North Atlantic Services, and receives support from the Fishing for Energy partnership.

2021 marks the 27th year that volunteers and the commercial fishing community have aligned in support of a coastal trap cleanup. During the last cleanup event, more than 60 commercial harvesters helped to clean up 6 tons of lobster traps and fishing gear.

The public is reminded that lobster pots and traps are private property. State law prohibits anyone except for the gear owner or a NH Fish and Game Conservation Officer from possessing or moving them. To learn more about lobster harvesting, contact the NH Fish and Game Marine Division at 603-868-1095 or Reg3@wildlife.nh.gov.