CONTACT: Cheri Patterson: (603) 868-1095 Jay Martin: (603) 271-3211 March 22, 2022

Durham, NH – If you plan to be out on New Hampshire’s coastal beaches Saturday, April 16, 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 on the shoreline.

All individuals with a lobster trap license of any type are invited to participate in the derelict trap cleanup. This event will begin with sign-in at 8:00 a.m. on April 16 in both Rye Harbor and the Hampton Harbor State Marina on April 16. Please check in with Fish and Game staff upon arrival.

This year’s trap cleanup effort 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, with support from the Fishing for Energy partnership.

2022 celebrates the 28th year that volunteers and the commercial fishing community have collaborated in support of the coastal trap cleanup. During the last cleanup event, more than 60 members of the New Hampshire lobstering community helped clean up almost 10 tons of lobster traps and fishing gear.

The general public is reminded that lobster pots and traps are private property. State law prohibits anyone but 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.