One of the millions of pieces of fishing equipment that are lost each year. The swivel device at the left most end has broken, releasing the buoy from the rope attached to the lobster trap(s). With the buoy gone, the trap and rope is also lost and the trap will continue to fish for years to come.
Lost but functioning fishing gear is known as "ghost equipment" because it continues to fish, untended, and kill huge numbers of sea creatures, year after year. Our modern materials just make the problem worse.This buoy was recovered and will be repaired and reused