Summary
A NOAA-backed Chesapeake Bay project is collecting millions of shallow-water depth readings while commercial crabbers locate and remove lost traps. The same sonar passes can reduce marine debris and fill gaps in seafloor data used for navigation and coastal planning.
Commercial crabbers working to remove abandoned fishing gear in the Chesapeake Bay are also helping scientists map the estuary’s shallow seafloor, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
The project equips participating boats with relatively low-cost side-scan sonar. Crews use the equipment to locate derelict crab pots, while the same trips passively collect bathymetric data—measurements describing underwater depth and the shape of the seafloor.
NOAA reported on July 14, 2026, that the work has produced millions of new depth measurements at little or no additional collection cost. The effort brings together NOAA, William & Mary’s Virginia Institute of Marine Science and Batten School, and Chesapeake Bay crabbers.
One survey supports two goals
Lost or discarded crab traps can continue catching wildlife after they are no longer being tended. They can also interfere with active fishing gear and damage habitat. Removing the traps reduces those effects and provides participating crabbers with offseason work.
The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States, but NOAA said detailed shallow-water depth information remains limited. Those areas can be difficult and costly for dedicated survey vessels to cover. Regular trips by commercial fishers create another source of measurements across frequently traveled waters.
The approach builds on NOAA-funded pilot surveys conducted in 2005 and 2006, which showed that side-scan sonar could identify derelict pots while gathering depth information. A 2023 NOAA Marine Debris Program award later supported the Nationwide Trap Removal, Assessment, and Prevention program, known as TRAP.
How the data will be used
The Virginia Institute of Marine Science and Batten School have been recognized by the International Hydrographic Organization as a trusted contributor of crowdsourced bathymetric data. NOAA said measurements from the project will be released through the agency’s National Centers for Environmental Information bathymetric portal.
Publicly available depth data can support nautical charting, navigation safety, coastal models and management decisions. Crowdsourced readings still require processing and quality controls before they can be incorporated into authoritative products; the NOAA announcement did not provide a date when every collected measurement would be available.
Key Facts
- Commercial crabbers use side-scan sonar to locate abandoned traps and collect depth measurements.
- The project has generated millions of new bathymetric data points.
- Removing derelict traps reduces ongoing wildlife capture and conflicts with active gear.
- Processed data will be made available through NOAA’s bathymetric data portal.
- The work is supported by NOAA and led with William & Mary researchers and Chesapeake Bay crabbers.