Lobster trap accessory

Abstract

A trap accessory for attachment to a marine trap that facilitates release of by-catch. A buoyant recovery buoy is operably attached to a trap frame secured to the marine trap. Components for operably attaching the recovery buoy to the trap frame include a latch and attachment components, of which at least one of these components is a Degradable Metal (DM). The DM maintains the integrity of the trap and trap accessory for a pre-determined time, typically 1 year or less. When one or more of the DM components are sufficiently degraded, the recovery buoy is released to open a slot through which animals can escape. A buoy line connected to the trap frame maintains connection between the marine trap and the recovery buoy, which assists in recovery of the marine trap.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.