350
The Biology of Sea Turtles, Vol. II
13.6 CONCLUSIONS
Trawl fisheries and sea turtles can coexist. Implementation of TEDs has been a
protracted and contentious process. When properly installed in bottom trawls, TEDs
can effectively exclude sea turtles and save significant numbers from drowning.
When TEDs with large escape openings are used, virtually all turtles can escape
with minimal impact on the fisheries. TEDs are in use throughout the world, in part,
because of U.S. Public Law 101-162, Section 609, which uses market forces to
provide an incentive for sea turtle conservation to all nations wishing to export
shrimp to the U.S. However, a significant number of nations export their shrimp to
other markets and do not use TEDs, despite operating fisheries in areas where turtles
are likely to occur. Conservation communities worldwide are applying pressure to
increase the number of nations employing TEDs in their warm water bottom trawl
fisheries.
13.7 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Review comments by David Balton, Alex Chester, and Charles Oravetz were very
much appreciated. Thanks, also, to David Bernhart, Harriet Corvino, and Joanne
Braun-McNeill for providing several references. Both figures were kindly provided
by NOAA Fisheries, Mississippi Laboratories, Harvesting Systems and Engineering
Division.
REFERENCES
Allen, L.K. 2000. Protected species and New England fisheries: an overview of the problem
and conservation strategies. Northeast. Nat. 7:411–418.
Bowen, B.W. 1995. Tracking marine turtles with genetic markers. BioScience 45:528-534.
Brewer, D., et al. 1998. An assessment of bycatch reduction devices in a tropical Australian
prawn trawl fishery. Fish. Res. 36:195–215.
Caillouet, C.W., Jr. et al. 1991. Sea turtle strandings and shrimp fishing effort in the northwestern Gulf of Mexico, 1986–1989. Fish. Bull. 89:712–718.
Caillouet, C.W., Jr. et al. 1996. Relationship between sea turtle stranding rates and fishing
intensities in the northwestern Gulf of Mexico: 1986–1989 versus 1990–1993. Fish.
Bull. 94:237–249.
Castroviejo, J. et al. 1994. Diversity and status of sea turtle species in the Gulf of Guinea
Islands. Biodiversity Conserv. 3:828–836.
Center for Marine Conservation. 1995. Delay and Denial . A Political History of Sea Turtles
and Shrimp Fishing . Center for Marine Conservation, Washington, D.C, 46 pp.
Crowder, L.B. et al. 1994. Predicting the impact of turtle excluder devices on loggerhead sea
turtle populations. Ecol. Appl. 4:437–445.
Crowder, L.B., S.B. Hopkins-Murphy, and J.A. Royle. 1995. Effects of turtle excluder devices
(TEDs) on loggerhead sea turtle populations. Copeia 1995:773–779.
Department of Commerce. 1987a. Sea turtle conservation; shrimp trawling requirements.
Federal Register 52:6179–6199, Washington, D.C.
Department of Commerce. 1987b. Sea turtle conservation; shrimp trawling requirements.
Federal Register 52:24244–24262, Washington, D.C.
1123 book.book Page 350 Thursday, November 14, 2002 11:50 AM
The Biology of Sea Turtles, Vol. II
13.6 CONCLUSIONS
Trawl fisheries and sea turtles can coexist. Implementation of TEDs has been a
protracted and contentious process. When properly installed in bottom trawls, TEDs
can effectively exclude sea turtles and save significant numbers from drowning.
When TEDs with large escape openings are used, virtually all turtles can escape
with minimal impact on the fisheries. TEDs are in use throughout the world, in part,
because of U.S. Public Law 101-162, Section 609, which uses market forces to
provide an incentive for sea turtle conservation to all nations wishing to export
shrimp to the U.S. However, a significant number of nations export their shrimp to
other markets and do not use TEDs, despite operating fisheries in areas where turtles
are likely to occur. Conservation communities worldwide are applying pressure to
increase the number of nations employing TEDs in their warm water bottom trawl
fisheries.
13.7 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Review comments by David Balton, Alex Chester, and Charles Oravetz were very
much appreciated. Thanks, also, to David Bernhart, Harriet Corvino, and Joanne
Braun-McNeill for providing several references. Both figures were kindly provided
by NOAA Fisheries, Mississippi Laboratories, Harvesting Systems and Engineering
Division.
REFERENCES
Allen, L.K. 2000. Protected species and New England fisheries: an overview of the problem
and conservation strategies. Northeast. Nat. 7:411–418.
Bowen, B.W. 1995. Tracking marine turtles with genetic markers. BioScience 45:528-534.
Brewer, D., et al. 1998. An assessment of bycatch reduction devices in a tropical Australian
prawn trawl fishery. Fish. Res. 36:195–215.
Caillouet, C.W., Jr. et al. 1991. Sea turtle strandings and shrimp fishing effort in the northwestern Gulf of Mexico, 1986–1989. Fish. Bull. 89:712–718.
Caillouet, C.W., Jr. et al. 1996. Relationship between sea turtle stranding rates and fishing
intensities in the northwestern Gulf of Mexico: 1986–1989 versus 1990–1993. Fish.
Bull. 94:237–249.
Castroviejo, J. et al. 1994. Diversity and status of sea turtle species in the Gulf of Guinea
Islands. Biodiversity Conserv. 3:828–836.
Center for Marine Conservation. 1995. Delay and Denial . A Political History of Sea Turtles
and Shrimp Fishing . Center for Marine Conservation, Washington, D.C, 46 pp.
Crowder, L.B. et al. 1994. Predicting the impact of turtle excluder devices on loggerhead sea
turtle populations. Ecol. Appl. 4:437–445.
Crowder, L.B., S.B. Hopkins-Murphy, and J.A. Royle. 1995. Effects of turtle excluder devices
(TEDs) on loggerhead sea turtle populations. Copeia 1995:773–779.
Department of Commerce. 1987a. Sea turtle conservation; shrimp trawling requirements.
Federal Register 52:6179–6199, Washington, D.C.
Department of Commerce. 1987b. Sea turtle conservation; shrimp trawling requirements.
Federal Register 52:24244–24262, Washington, D.C.
1123 book.book Page 350 Thursday, November 14, 2002 11:50 AM