In order to provide extra protection to the extinction for endangered sea turtles, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has announced new restrictions last week on so-called “longline” fishing techniques in the Gulf of Mexico off Florida’s west coast. The new rules banned the use of longlines between May and Ocotber when sea turtles feed and breed in the area.
The ban is the outcome of the studies which shows that as many as 1,000 sea turtles—80% of them endangered loggerheads—were being snagged every 18 months in longline gear, which is used by about 100 Tampa-based commercial fishing boats in pursuit of red grouper. NOAA officials stressed that the longline ban is a temporary measure and that the agency is currently working with fishermen and environmentalists to come up with a long-term solution.
Roy Crabtree, NOAA’s southeast regional administrator for fisheries, told that the association can identify options that not only provide sea turtles the protection they need, but minimize the economic affects to the fishing industry. He told that the decision was decried by the commercial fishermen but the environmentalists cheered.
