Wednesday August 5, 2009, 12:17 am
Alexandria, VA, August 4, 2009 – Oceana is calling for fast action to protect loggerhead sea turtles from destructive fishing gear today as the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council (MAFMC) meets in Alexandria, Va. Two trawl fisheries managed by the MAFMC are catching illegal levels of loggerhead sea turtles, a species listed as threatened under the U.S. Endangered Species Act (ESA).


In the Mid-Atlantic alone, an estimated 770 loggerhead sea turtles are caught in trawl fisheries each year, many of these caught in the two MAFMC fisheries. Florida beaches, where most loggerhead nesting in the U.S. takes place, have seen nesting declines of more than 40 percent in the last decade.


“Every dead sea turtle counts,” said Elizabeth Griffin, marine scientist and fisheries campaign manager at Oceana. “The destructive practices of these fisheries are not only illegal, but are pushing loggerhead sea turtles towards extinction.”


The fisheries, summer flounder, scup and black sea bass and Atlantic mackerel, squid and Atlantic butterfish, are catching 10 times more sea turtles than what is authorized under their ESA permits. Without an avenue for escape, sea turtles likely drown when captured in trawl fishing gear due to forced submergence. If they do escape, they are often injured from the great stress of being netted and are left more susceptible to further injuries and death.


“The government knows these Mid-Atlantic fisheries are catching and killing illegally high levels of threatened sea turtles,” said Griffin. “It’s time for the Council to take a stand to reduce the impact of Mid-Atlantic trawl fisheries on loggerheads.


Turtle excluder devices (TED), escape hatches that allow sea turtles to escape from fishing nets, are not required in many trawl fisheries known to catch and even kill sea turtles. Trawl nets equipped with properly sized and functioning TEDs can lead to a 97 percent reduction in sea turtle entrapment.


To date, the only federal fisheries required to use TEDs in trawls are summer flounder and shrimp. Unfortunately, in the summer flounder fishery, TEDs are not required at all times when and in all areas where the fishery catches sea turtles. When TEDs are used in this fishery, their required size is often too small for larger turtles to escape through.

Wednesday August 5, 2009, 12:56 am
These beautiful sea creatures should
be fully protected at all costs!!

Plant trees for life.................

Wednesday August 5, 2009, 2:27 am
I second that B.M.!

Wednesday August 5, 2009, 5:18 am
Such beautiful sea creates. True they live so long in nature,but they face such hazards after birth. They should provisions made to quite destroying them as by-catch in other fisheries. Thank you, Claudia.

Wednesday August 5, 2009, 6:28 am
I love turtles and this is so tragic. Something needs to be done to save them. Thanks Claudia.

Wednesday August 5, 2009, 6:38 am
thei are bog and great an shoulds be save thanks cladia

Wednesday August 5, 2009, 6:51 am
This has to stop! Thanks Claudia

Wednesday August 5, 2009, 9:01 am
:( :( :( Thanks Claudia.

Wednesday August 5, 2009, 12:13 pm
Thank you my darling!

Wednesday August 5, 2009, 2:29 pm
Thanks Claudia for sharing and I hope the right course of action for the great turtles happens soon. So sad for them.

Wednesday August 5, 2009, 6:47 pm
Man has got to stop killing our earth and oceans! thanks Claudia

Wednesday August 5, 2009, 8:00 pm
Thank you, Claudia. It is a tragedy that the citizens of this planet are so unaware of situations as this one. I fear that one day everyone will come to understand this loss with no way to restore ocean life as it should be.

Wednesday August 5, 2009, 10:07 pm
This makes me just sick~! Anyone that has seen the life and trials of these beuatiful sea turtles would feel the same.
Thank you dear Claudia

Wednesday August 5, 2009, 11:10 pm
My,oh, my. Thanks again, Claudia...

Wednesday August 5, 2009, 11:51 pm
What can I say man is destroying everything!!!

Thursday August 6, 2009, 2:26 am
Turtles should be protected from all fishing, even if only because they are one of the most ancient life forms to inhabit the planet. They are absolutely beautiful in the sea and the grace and elegance which they used when in the water are to be admired. People must become less selfish and more aware of the long term damage we are responsible for to all the creatures of the planet.

Wednesday August 12, 2009, 2:15 pm
This is so sad, I love turtles, what a mess humans are creating for everything.