Sea Turtle Conservation; Shrimp Trawling Requirements

NMFS is imposing, for a 30-day period, an additional restriction on shrimp trawlers that are required to have a turtle excluder device (TED) installed in each net rigged for fishing, and that are operating in Atlantic offshore waters out to 10 nautical miles (nm)(18.3 km) from the coast of Florida between 28 deg.N. latitude and the Georgia-Florida border. During this 30-day period 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. The use of such TEDs by shrimp trawlers has previously been required under similar circumstances. This action is necessary to prevent mortality of endangered leatherback sea turtles incidentally captured in shrimp trawls, and is prompted by recent strandings of such turtles.