Evaluate
New Strategy to Protect Sea Turtles
Posted:
6/25/04
NOAA Fisheries (National Marine Fisheries
Service) has devised a new approach to protect sea turtles
in Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic waters. The approach
is titled the ‘Strategy for Sea Turtle Conservation
and Recovery in Relation to Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico
Fisheries’ (Strategy). They plan to analyze sea turtle
bycatch across gear types rather than across specific fisheries.
Before beginning the analysis, NMFS has placed a notice in
the Federal Register to secure comments about the planned
criteria and framework to be used in the analysis.
The Strategy goals are 1) to conserve and
recover sea turtles (all five of the species of sea turtles
in the Gulf and South Atlantic are endangered or threatened
under the Endangered Species Act), 2) to evaluate the significance
of bycatch by gear type, 3) to develop and implement conservation
measures to reduce sea turtle bycatch, and 4) to authorize
fishery takes consistent with Endangered Species Act mandates.
According to Elizabeth Petras, NMFS strategy
coordinator, “Gathering quality information on the numerous
fisheries operating throughout the U.S. Atlantic and Gulf
of Mexico is an essential step in realizing the Strategy.
Thus, NMFS has developed a draft framework that will shape
the type of information collected and analyzed as part of
implementing the Strategy. NMFS has also drafted a criteria
for evaluating gear types or fisheries that should be evaluated
first under the Strategy.”
The draft
information framework and criteria are described in the Federal
Register Notice of Availability and Request for Comments regarding
the Strategy – 69
FR 30627, May 28, 2004 (70KB
PDF file). NMFS has invited comments on both the framework
and criteria. Please note, because this FR notice is a request
for comments and not a regulatory action, NMFS is continuing
to take comments past June 28th, 2004.
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