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[deg]57.5' W. long. (approximately Cape Fear, N.C.) and north of 30[deg] N. lat. (just north of St. Augustine, Fla.). Shrimp trawlers in this area are prohibited from fishing at night between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m. eastern daylight time (EDT). NMFS is taking this action because NMFS has determined that recent, unusually high increases in shrimping effort in this area, particularly very long tows made at night, are the cause 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.