Sea Turtle Conservation; Restrictions Applicable to Shrimp Trawling Activities; Flotation Device Requirements

NMFS issues this final rule to require shrimp trawlers using Turtle Excluder Devices (TEDs) in the Gulf and Atlantic Areas to attach specified flotation devices to hard TEDs or special hard TEDs with bottom escape openings. This action is necessary to improve the ability of bottom-opening, hard TEDs, and special hard TEDs to safely exclude sea turtles. In addition, NMFS is making technical amendments to the sea turtle conservation regulations to expand TED configuration options or to clarify gear descriptions, thereby reducing the chances of incidental capture and mortality of endangered and threatened sea turtles.