The official start of the project is getting closer! We plan to kick off with the first dive operation on October 31. For this first event, a group of experienced and trained divers will pilot the operation and provide feedback which will inform how we refine and optimize our work for the Beverly Harbor diving environment. We also have set dates for the dives, which are below. Some winter months when weather is even more unpredictable have back-up dates associated with them.

Monthly Recovery Dive Events
2026
October 31
November 14
December 19

2027
January 9
January 10 (weather contingency day)
February 6
February 7 (weather contingency day)
March 6
March 7 (weather contingency day)

More information and the diver participation interest form can be found here: https://ghosttraprecovery.com

Funded through a Fishing Trap Removal Assessment and Prevention program grant from the Virginia Institute of Marine Science, the project will use scuba-based recovery operations over two winter periods to locate, remove, and document abandoned traps, improve marine habitat, and support sustainable reuse or recycling of recovered materials in Beverly Harbor. This project will begin in October 2026. Diving and trap removal needs to occur over the fall and winter months when boat traffic transiting the harbor is at a minimum.

Northern Atlantic Dive Expeditions is participating in the project to provide support for DSO oversight, training, and diving operations. Diving will be conducted from the Gauntlet utilizing qualified, trained divers participating in the project.

In March 2026, the first reconnaissance dives were conducted in preparation for project initiation this fall. The dive team used DPVs to cover a larger distance and navigate what can be strong tidal current flowing through the harbor. The purpose of the dive was to scout to identify some representative traps to inform what some of the removal techniques might involve. The conditions were challenging: 39F water, 5-10′ of visibility and a moderate current. The dive team obtained some video but overall the conditions prevented covering a larger area and resulted in visual limitations.

We will post more information at https://ghosttraprecovery.com which lands on a page on this website. Check back for updates as we move closer to project initiation.