Question: Are cotton breakaway lines required on sport Dungeness crab pots?

Answer: Breakaway lines are not required on sport crab pots, but using cotton twine to secure escape rings is a very good idea. On lost pots, the cotton eventually rots away and opens the pot so that crabs and other marine life can more easily escape. Without the destruct device (such as cotton twine), the pot essentially becomes a self-baiting trap. We encourage you to use traps with destruct devices.