Tag Archives: sea turtles
US shuts off Mexico shrimp imports
Mexico said Friday it will try to regain U.S. certification for shrimp exports, after the country lost its registration because of inadequate protections for sea turtles. Mexico’s agriculture department said it will take corrective measures and carry out training to ensure Mexican trawl-net shrimp boats don’t sweep up sea turtles as by-catch. The Department of State said the U.S. ban coincides with the closure of Mexico’s shrimp fishing season. >click to read< 13:30
Multiple challenges hamper commercial Dungeness crab season
The commercial Dungeness season in California opened late because the state’s Risk Assessment Mitigation Plan (RAMP), which is in full-force for the first time this season,,, “It’s a little bit tough right now,” said Dick Ogg, who has fished commercially out of Bodega Bay for more than 20 years. “That’s kind of an understatement.” Ogg is a member of the Dungeness Crab Gear Working Group, which contributed to the RAMP. Ogg says he and other vessel operators have come up with a variety of strategies to reduce the chances of migrating whales or endangered Pacific leatherback sea turtles getting tangled up in gear. Ogg pulled his crab gear out early this year, deciding to put his energy into prepping for the salmon season. But he said for the vessels still at it, the higher market prices made up for low catches. >click to read< 14:08
New rules for California Dungeness crab fleet
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife on Friday unveiled a batch of complex new rules designed to reduce the risk to endangered whales and sea turtles of becoming entangled in commercial Dungeness crab fishing gear. The draft regulations are set to be finalized before the next commercial season starts in November after a period of public review. Among the provisions are options to restrict fishing in certain depths, require crabbers to set only a share of the traps for which they’re permitted or limit intervention to any of six newly established geographic zones, rather than the larger Northern and Central California management districts that currently exist. >click to read< 09:14
Turtle conservation rules cut Hawaii’s swordfish season short for 2nd year in a row
Swordfish season typically run through the month of June. But the 15 boats that make up Hawaii’s shallow-set longline fleet are sidelined for now. That’s because a law protecting endangered sea turtles has cut Hawaii’s commercial season short for the second year in a row. Earlier this week, fisherman hooked a loggerhead turtle ― the 17th one of the year. By law, that interaction brought the fleet’s season to an abrupt end. >video, click to read<10:53
UPDATED: Suit over sea turtles dismissed by federal judge
A U.S. District Court judge has dismissed the civil complaint against state and federal agencies and their officials filed by the N.C. Fisheries Association and Carteret County Fisherman’s Association. Jerry Schill, NCFA president, said they were very disappointed to hear about the dismissal. Mr. Schill said he thinks that those who might applaud the dismissal should read it and ask: if the associations don’t have standing to sue over the ESA, who does? Read the rest here 8/7/2015 12:49
“With one stroke of the pen, they wipe out your livelihood,” Captured sea turtles causes closure of gill net fishing
The capture of five sea turtles in northeastern North Carolina waters has led to a decision to close the gill-net fishing season. Beginning at 5 p.m. today, the closure area includes the Albemarle, Currituck, Croatan and Roanoke sounds for all anchored gill nets, according to a news release from the . The ban will be lifted no sooner than Sept. 1, when the new season is scheduled to begin, but it could continue longer if sea turtles are still abundant in the affected waters, the agency said. Read the rest here 22:02
Louisiana Lawmakers vote to let Department of Wildlife and Fisheries agents enforce federal sea turtle law
State wildlife officials should soon be able to enforce federal laws that require shrimp nets to include escape hatches for
. The Monterey Bay Aquarium’s “Seafood Watch,” a program that recommends seafood choices to consumers and is popular with environmentalists, has recommended at least since 2013 that people avoid Louisiana wild-caught shrimp — which are caught mostly in state waters — because of the ban. Read the rest here 11:15
Louisiana House moves turtle extruder shrimp-net rule moves forward unanimously
The Louisiana House took a great step forward on Wednesday when it unanimously passed a House Bill 688. The measure — if it passes and is signed into law by the governor — would remove a ridiculous law from Louisiana’s books. It is a step that can and should be taken. The current law prevents state Wildlife and Fisheries agents from enforcing federal laws requiring shrimp nets to have turtle excluder devices. The law was passed in the 1980s, when debate over the TEDs was at a fever pitch. Read the rest here 14:14
From Emerald Isle to the South Carolina line tougher fishing laws hurt local fishermen
From September 25 through November 2, no gill net fishing was allowed because of two sea turtles spotted in the northern part of the state. A closure local fisherman, Randy King, does not support. “I disagree with that,” King said. “I think if this county isn’t catching any turtles I don’t think it should be closed.” Read the rest here 20:49
North Carolina: Part of state’s coastal waters closed to large-mesh gillnet fishing
Coastal waters in the northern and southern parts of the state are closed to large-mesh gillnet fishermen as a precautionary measure after a number of sea turtles were snagged the nets in recent weeks. “We’re not sure right now when the fishery will reopen,” said Chris Batsavage, protected resources section chief for the state Division of Marine Fisheries. Read the rest here 11:36
Fairness and equality
How many threatened loggerhead, green and marine sea turtles and the endangered Kemps Ridley turtle are off the coast of the United States? How many are off the North Carolina coast? These questions need answers. Because for years and years only commercial fishermen — those who provide restaurants and markets with seafood — have been required to report any interaction they have with sea turtles. Read more here 17:48
N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries asking pound net fishermen to be turtle diligent in checking nets
The N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries issued a news release Friday in response to last week’s reported interactions with the sea turtles. In addition, the division is asking the public to promptly report turtles entangled or caught in fishing gear. [email protected] 22:24
Study maps accidental killings of sea turtles
Sea turtles can get accidentally caught and killed in fishing operations, and new research out Monday seeks to map this phenomenon for the first time in a bid to save the endangered creatures. continued
In Hawaii, National Marine Fisheries Service relaxes bycatch limits on endangered sea turtles
The National Marine Fisheries Service has relaxed its limitson the number of endangered sea turtles that can be captured and possibly killed by Hawaiian swordfish fishermen using a long hooked fishing line. Fishermen are now allowed to catch 16 leatherback sea turtles and 17 North Pacific loggerhead sea turtles. In November the leatherback catch can go up to 26, more than a 60 percent increase, and the loggerhead catch to 34, about a 100 percent increase.
