Sea Turtle Conservation; Shrimp Trawling Requirements

NMFS is imposing, for a 30-day period, an additional restriction on shrimp trawlers required to have a turtle excluder device (TED) installed in each net that is rigged for fishing, operating in Gulf of Mexico offshore waters bounded by the line originating at the tip of the south jetty at Port Mansfield Channel and terminating at the tip of the north jetty at Aransas Pass, Texas. Shrimp vessels operating in this area must use a TED with an escape opening large enough to exclude leatherback turtles, as specified in the regulations. This action is necessary to reduce mortality of endangered leatherback sea turtles incidentally captured in shrimp trawls.