Sea Turtle Conservation; Shrimp Trawling Requirements

NMFS is imposing, for a 30-day period, additional restrictions on shrimp trawlers in offshore Atlantic waters west of 77 57.5' W. longitude (approximately Cape Fear, NC) and north of 30 N. latitude (just north of St. Augustine, FL). Shrimp fishermen operating in this area are required to use turtle excluder devices (TEDs) with escape openings modified to exclude leatherback turtles and are prohibited from fishing at night between 1 hour after sunset and 1 hour before sunrise. NMFS is taking this action because we have determined that higher than normal shrimping effort, particularly long tows conducted at night, and the use of less efficient TEDs by some shrimpers are the causes of extraordinarily high mortality and strandings of sea turtles that are listed as endangered or threatened. This action is necessary to reduce mortality of listed sea turtles incidentally captured in shrimp trawls.