Proposed New Turtle Excluder Device (TED) Regulations

WHEREAS, the implementation of Turtle Excluder Device (TED) regulations has been a significant factor in the decline in the number of shrimpers, many of whom have gone out of business, and

WHEREAS, the proposed TED regulations requiring that TEDs be of uniform design, placement and use are expected to result in a further reduction in catch efficiency by causing additional shrimp loss, and come on the heels of TED regulations that were revised just months ago, and

WHEREAS, shrimp trawling environments, circumstances and conditions vary widely throughout the Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic with respect to habitat and the presence of sea turtles, and

WHEREAS, no sea turtles have been captured in over 70,000 shrimp samples taken with trawls in inshore and offshore waters by the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries from 1968 through the present, and

WHEREAS, the banning of certain types of TEDs for what apparently is administrative convenience is contrary to the intent of the Marine Fisheries Conservation Act, and

WHEREAS, changing new TED regulations within months of adopting and implementing them causes a hardship to those shrimpers trying to comply with the law, and raises questions about the reliability of the science behind the regulations and the equity of the regulatory process, and

WHEREAS, there are other factors and causes of turtle mortality that are not being addressed by the National Marine Fisheries Service’s TED regulations.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Louisiana Wildlife Federation opposes the blanket changes being proposed for Turtle Excluder Device regulations at this time.

Adopted by the Louisiana Wildlife Federation in convention assembled, 3 March 2002, in Marksville, Louisiana

Details
Resolution #:11E, 2002
Date Proposed:03/03/2002
Scroll to Top