It is true that sea turtles’ mortality is far worse than anyone expected and the government might put permanent ban on longline in the Gulf of Mexico. On May 18, an emergency rule was enacted which gives more protection to the sea turtles in the Gulf of Mexico from a controversial commercial fishing technique. And it is said that on June 8, federal fishery officials will hold a hearing in Marathon to take comments on possibly making the rules on longlining in the Gulf permanent.
Donna Cofano, president of the Keys group Save-A-Turtle, said it is fact that longlining does do a lot of damage, not just to turtles but to other species. Conservation groups and Folirda’s wildlife agency pressurized the National Marine Fisheries Service to enact a rule that requires longlining in the eastern gulf to be limited to waters deeper than 50 fathoms, or 300 feet, from May 18 to Oct. 28.
The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council is holding five other workshops on the situation. Roy Crabtree, the Fisheries Service’s southeast regional administrator, expressed that the council is working closely with the council and constituents to find more permanent solutions to protect sea turtles affected by this fishing gear.
It is told that the emergency rule mostly affected the longline fishing boats that target shallow-water species like grouper and snapper. Longline boats lay several miles of line, which bristles with hundreds of attached lines and baited hooks. At its December meeting in the Keys, board members of the state Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said they were alarmed by the mortality reports, and called on the federal government to better enforce turtle protections.
