Tag Archives: “turtle excluder devices”
Preserving our heritage and livelihood – A shrimper’s stand against unjust regulations
I’ve been a shrimper for over 45 years. It’s more than just a job; it’s a legacy that’s been passed down through generations in my family. Since I was 15, I’ve been working in the waters of Plaquemines Parish, my workplace, my passion, and my source of livelihood. Today, as I continue to bring the finest Gulf shrimp to your tables, I find myself fighting not only for my job but for the very soul of Louisiana’s shrimping heritage. The recent rule by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) mandating the use of Turtle Excluder Devices (TEDs) on skimmer trawl vessels longer than 40 feet is a real threat to our community. This rule, though it may seem well-intentioned, is an example of overreach and disregard for our industry’s reality. more, >>click to read<< 13:44
Shrimp season in Mississippi to open on May 22
The Mississippi Department of Marine Resources (MDMR) has set the opening date for the 2023-2024 shrimp season in state territorial waters for Monday, May 22 at 6 a.m. All regulations of the MDMR will be in full force and effect, and all boats engaged in catching and transporting shrimp from Mississippi waters must be licensed or permitted by the agency before beginning operations. Staff will continue to sample prior to the opening date. The shrimp season opening date may be postponed if sampling indicates movement of large numbers of juvenile brown shrimp into this area. >click to read< 13:04
NOAA: Temporary rule allows shrimpers limited tow times as an alternative to TED’s
NOAA is publishing a temporary rule to allow shrimp fishers to continue to use limited tow times as an alternative to Turtle Excluder Devices. According to LDWF, the use will be in specific Louisiana state waters from 91° 23’ West longitude eastward to the Louisiana/Mississippi border, and seaward out three nautical miles. The temporary rule is effective from December 7, 2021 through January 5, 2022. >click to read< 12:02
Turtle excluders
A federal court in Louisiana granted Attorney General Jeff Landry’s request to preliminarily enjoin implementation of a National Marine Fisheries Service’s rule requiring “Turtle Excluder Devices” on certain skimmer trawl boats operating in inshore waters. Landry’s office called it a “major win” for shrimpers, which were having difficulty complying with the rule due to pandemic-related supply chain issues. >click to read the order< 16:55
Louisiana sues NMFS over ‘devastating’ rule for its shrimpers
Louisiana has sued the National Marine Fisheries Service in New Orleans federal court to stop it from implementing a regulation that obliges certain shrimp fishermen to install devices that keep endangered sea turtles out of their catch. In a Wednesday complaint, Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry said the rule that took effect on Aug. 1, about a week before the beginning of the state’s shrimping season, will have “devastating consequences” on the fishermen’s already thin profit margins, and has sowed confusion with fishermen unable to find enough suppliers of so-called turtle-excluder devices for their fishing nets because the coronavirus pandemic has disrupted the supply chain. >click to read< 19:38
US Embargo Hits Mexican Shrimp Industry Hard
The United States has suspended certification of wild-caught Mexican shrimp, preventing producers from export part of their production to the USA. Already financially weakened Mexican shrimp exporters are confident that the decision will be reversed soon, but have concerns about the severe economic consequences. US inspectors identified non-conformities in the turtle excluder devices (TEDs) in dozens of fishing gears inspected at Sonora, Sinaloa, Tamaulipas and Campeche ports. News of the embargo was received with concern by the shrimp fishermen all over Mexico. ‘But we haven’t felt any impact yet, given that we had already exported all stocks and we’re now waiting for the next shrimp season to start in September,’ >photos, click to read< 13:13
Sen. John Kennedy – Sea turtle regulations hindered search for Seacor mariners
Louisiana Sen. John Kennedy criticized the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in a letter this week, claiming regulations for shrimpers caused an unnecessary hindrance in the search for missing Seacor Power members. Kennedy said he issued his letter after volunteers with the Cajun Navy said NOAA voiced strong opposition to the use of trawling nets in the recovery effort due to concern over federal regulations related to sea turtles. Kennedy alleges in his letter that NOAA would not allow volunteer shrimp boats to use nets with tied turtle excluder devices, knowns as TEDs, for recovery efforts. >click to read< 09:09
Gov. Edwards announces program to help Louisiana shrimpers
Gov. John Bel Edwards announced the creation of a $250,000 program that will pay part of the cost shrimp fishermen will have to pay for mandated devices to protect sea turtles and other animals from getting trapped in their nets. The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries will operate the Skimmer Turtle Excluder Device Reimbursement Program (STEDRP), which will reimburse up to 60 percent of the cost for two skimmer Turtle Excluder Devices, commonly called TEDs. >click to read< 12:02
North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries to begin industry funded survey of shrimp trawl fishermen
The N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries will begin contacting shrimp trawl and skimmer trawl vessel operators in the coming weeks for a survey about the types of gear they use. The division wants to know what bycatch reduction devices and turtle excluder devices are currently used in the North Carolina commercial shrimp fishery. The survey also includes questions about overall gear configurations, as well as some socioeconomic information, such as costs and revenues of the shrimping business.The survey is being conducted at the request of the Marine Fisheries Commission and the commercial fishing industry. The survey is funded by the North Carolina Commercial Fishing Resource Fund, which receives money from commercial fishing license sales and supports a grant program that is managed by commercial fishing industry stakeholders. >click to read< 10:22
Are Excluder Devices Saving Sea Lions or Covering Up Their Deaths?
A new study blames the fishing industry for the New Zealand sea lion’s decline, but some scientists have doubts.,,, To cut down on collateral damage, some fisheries employ excluder devices, special nets that allow unwanted animals to escape without forfeiting target fish. Australian fishers use seal excluder devices, or SEDs, while turtle excluder devices (TEDs) allow reptiles to pass through American trawls. click here to read the story 11:21
A legacy of hard work and devotion – Steve Parrish Sr., Supply, N.C.
Steve Parrish Sr. always had an answer. His son, Steven Parrish, remembers his dad being able to figure out anything, answer any question he had. Parrish, who owned and operated S&S Trawl Shop in Supply for more than 30 years, died Monday at 60. Parrish leaves behind a legacy of hard work, devotion to the environment and his own take on “turtle excluder devices” (TEDs), which his son said he helped develop along with a team of scientists and other groups. Parrish was one of only two people in the state who built TEDs. Along with being instrumental in developing TEDs, Parrish grew his Supply business from a small operation in a garage to one that supplied fishing gear along the East Coast and as far away as Mexico and Honduras. Read the story here 18:50 Read Complete Obituary
Shrimp fishermen take issue with proposed TED rule
Shrimp boats that fish offshore already use TEDs. Turtle excluder devices use metal grates that prevent turtles from getting caught in the nets. The new rule would apply to skimmer nets, which generally shrimp in shallower waters. “It would affect about half of our fleet, which currently uses skimmer nets. They’ve been having to adhere to tow time restrictions. Now, they’ll have to use TEDs instead,” said Rick Burris, who directs the DMR Shrimp and Crab Bureau. The proposed regulation to expand the use of TEDs is the result of a federal lawsuit filed by a nonprofit conservation group called Oceana, which blames commercial fishermen for killing hundreds of sea turtles each year. “Certainly they’re being singled out. Oceana has had the shrimp industry as a target for a long time. Particularly as it relates to turtles,” said David Veal, executive director of the American Shrimp Processors Association. Veal says the statistics cited by the conservation group are suspect. Video, read the rest here 08:14
NOAA proposing new regulations for turtle excluder devices from Texas to North Carolina
The federal government is considering new requirements and regulations for turtle excluder devices to reduce sea turtle bycatch in shrimp fisheries. The new requirements, which could potentially apply to all vessels from Texas to North Carolina in both state and federal waters, are meant to counteract an increasing number of small, juvenile sea turtles being encountered by inshore and nearshore fisheries. According to a document on the proposed changes, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration will be floating four potential alternatives at public hearings in April aimed at reducing sea turtle mortality. Read the rest here 19:25
Louisiana Shrimp Task Force voted 7-0 in favor of federal rules requiring the use of turtle excluder devices
A key industry panel wants Louisiana lawmakers to repeal a 1987 law that prohibits state fisheries agents from enforcing federal rules designed to protect sea turtles by outfitting shrimpers’ nets with special escape hatches for threatened and endangered turtles. Louisiana’s shrimp industry has long been criticized by environmental groups,,, Read the rest here 08:09
University of New Orleans gets grant to improve turtle excluder devices
UNO researchers will use the funds to enhance the design, test and implement the device which helps a captured sea turtle escape when caught in a fishing net. Read more here 12:35
NOAA shelves turtle protection plans to require “turtle excluder devices” for small fishing operations-Center for Biological Diversity “critical”
“The information we now have suggests the conservation benefit does not justify the burden this rule would place on the industry. We need more research looking at different options,” Roy Crabtree, southeast regional administrator for NOAA Fisheries, said in a statement. The rules had been set to take effect by spring. Gulf of Mexico shrimpers had said the requirement could push them out of business. The change would have affected 2,600 fishermen, including an estimated 2,300 vessels in Louisiana. Crabtree said federal officials will continue their research to help prevent turtle deaths. http://www.thenewsstar.com/viewart/20121128/NEWS01/211280341/NOAA-shelves-turtle-protection-plans
