Abstract
Derelict fishing gear can negatively affect marine ecosystems through mortality in coastal environments. This study explored the impact of derelict and active crab pots on recreational blue crab ( Callinectes sapidus ) catch rates and landings in a Mid‐Atlantic estuary by deploying experimental pots in four habitat strata within three sections of Indian River Bay, DE. The observed environmental covariates, including temperature, salinity, and dissolved oxygen, varied significantly among areas within individual years ( p p > 0.05; Linear‐Mixed‐Model [LMM]) despite generally higher numbers of crabs observed in habitats devoid of derelict pots when compared to habitats with derelict pots present. Instead, total catch rates were significantly affected by the presence of ovigerous and non‐ovigerous females ( p p = 0.80; Kruskal–Wallis), suggesting consistent length distributions in 2021 and 2022. Eight bycatch species were captured. Findings suggest that derelict pots did not significantly affect catch rates, differing from observations in other systems, for example, Chesapeake Bay. Further explorations along a broader range of environmental conditions are needed to clarify these dynamics.