A crustacean trap adapted to permit blocking entry to a crustacean of a protected species, including a cage, enclosing a volume and a crustacean entrance that can be closed to prevent entry, responsive to a first signal and opened to permit crustacean entry, responsive to a second signal received at the trap. Also, an image forming assembly includes a digital camera and a flash mechanism, the assembly being directed at an area immediately outside of the entrance and being tuned to return a maximum signal from crustaceans of the protected crustacean species so that a protected species crustacean appears as brightly lit in images formed, and being communicatively connected to a remote station that is equipped to receive-images from the assembly. Finally, there is a connector for connecting the cage to a signal source for receiving the first and second signals and for sending the images formed.

A crustacean trap adapted to permit blocking entry to a crustacean of a protected species, including a cage, enclosing a volume and a crustacean entrance that can be closed to prevent entry, responsive to a first signal and opened to permit crustacean entry, responsive to a second signal received at the trap. Also, an image forming assembly includes a digital camera and a flash mechanism, the assembly being directed at an area immediately outside of the entrance and being tuned to return a maximum signal from crustaceans of the protected crustacean species so that a protected species crustacean appears as brightly lit in images formed, and being communicatively connected to a remote station that is equipped to receive-images from the assembly. Finally, there is a connector for connecting the cage to a signal source for receiving the first and second signals and for sending the images formed.

A crawfish trap bait guard which, in use, is mounted upon the staking rod of a crawfish trap, inside the mesh of the crawfish trap, above the floor of the trap, and below the water line. The crawfish trap bait guard encloses the bait in such a way as to prevent the access of birds and fish to the bait, while allowing crawfish within the trap to obtain managed portions of the bait by reaching through calibrated open areas distributed around the crawfish trap bait guard so as to allow a large number of crawfish to feed at the same time.

A crawfish trap bait guard which, in use, is mounted upon the staking rod of a crawfish trap, inside the mesh of the crawfish trap, above the floor of the trap, and below the water line. The crawfish trap bait guard encloses the bait in such a way as to prevent the access of birds and fish to the bait, while allowing crawfish within the trap to obtain managed portions of the bait by reaching through calibrated open areas distributed around the crawfish trap bait guard so as to allow a large number of crawfish to feed at the same time.

A system for coupling a crab pot with another crab pot includes a first receiver mountable to a first crab pot, a second receiver mountable to a second crab pot, and a coupler operable to engage the first receiver and the second receiver to couple the first crab pot with the second crab pot. The first and second receivers, each include a hole. The coupler includes a first holding component operable to hold the first receiver when the first holding component is inserted into the hole of the first receiver, and a second holding component operable to hold the second receiver when the second holding component is inserted into the hole of the second receiver. The coupler also includes an appendage that, while the coupler couples the crab pots, allows a deckhand to grab or stand on to help him/her remain on the pots while he/she climbs on over and/or around the pots.

A system for coupling a crab pot with another crab pot includes a first receiver mountable to a first crab pot, a second receiver mountable to a second crab pot, and a coupler operable to engage the first receiver and the second receiver to couple the first crab pot with the second crab pot. The first and second receivers, each include a hole. The coupler includes a first holding component operable to hold the first receiver when the first holding component is inserted into the hole of the first receiver, and a second holding component operable to hold the second receiver when the second holding component is inserted into the hole of the second receiver. The coupler also includes an appendage that, while the coupler couples the crab pots, allows a deckhand to grab or stand on to help him/her remain on the pots while he/she climbs on over and/or around the pots.

A video monitoring apparatus for assessing marine diversity includes a support frame, one or more cameras mounted on the support frame for recording images, and a bait receptacle mounted on the support frame for holding bait. The bait receptacle is adapted to release bait therefrom when the support frame comes to rest on a surface.

A video monitoring apparatus for assessing marine diversity includes a support frame, one or more cameras mounted on the support frame for recording images, and a bait receptacle mounted on the support frame for holding bait. The bait receptacle is adapted to release bait therefrom when the support frame comes to rest on a surface.

An ice fishing hole covering assembly includes a unitary fishing hole covering with a panel that is rigid and has a top side, a bottom side and a perimeter edge. The top side is planar and the panel is translucent with a circular shape and a central axis. A reel is rotatably coupled to the bottom side of the panel and has fishing line spooled thereon. The panel has a plurality of apertures therein extending to the top side and outwardly through the bottom side to define finger grips. A strike indicator is attached to the bottom side of the panel and includes a light emitter that is turned on when the fishing line is pulled downwardly from the bottom side. An entirety of the unitary structure is positioned no higher than 0.30 inches above a plane of the top side before and after actuation of the strike indicator.

An ice fishing hole covering assembly includes a unitary fishing hole covering with a panel that is rigid and has a top side, a bottom side and a perimeter edge. The top side is planar and the panel is translucent with a circular shape and a central axis. A reel is rotatably coupled to the bottom side of the panel and has fishing line spooled thereon. The panel has a plurality of apertures therein extending to the top side and outwardly through the bottom side to define finger grips. A strike indicator is attached to the bottom side of the panel and includes a light emitter that is turned on when the fishing line is pulled downwardly from the bottom side. An entirety of the unitary structure is positioned no higher than 0.30 inches above a plane of the top side before and after actuation of the strike indicator.