Key committee votes to protect sea turtles in Gulf of Mexico

From a news release issued by Oceana:

Bay St. Louis, Miss. -- A key committee of the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council voted today to protect sea turtles from the bottom longline sector of the Gulf of Mexico reef fish fishery. Specifically, the Reef Fish Management Committee requested that the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) issue an emergency rule prohibiting longline gear in waters shallower than 50 fathoms for a five month period, effective as soon as possible. The five month emergency closure would protect sea turtles while NMFS develops a long-term solution.

Most of the sea turtles caught by the bottom longline sector of this fishery are loggerheads, a species listed as threatened under the U.S. Endangered Species Act (ESA). "Under the ESA, immediate changes in this fishery must be taken to protect loggerhead sea turtles," said Elizabeth Griffin, marine wildlife scientist at Oceana.

According to recent Government data, nearly 1,000 sea turtles were caught by bottom longlines in this fishery in just 18 months. This is approximately eight times the federally authorized capture level for the entire fishery.

"If fishing was allowed to continue while a long-term solution is developed, hundreds more of this threatened species could be killed," said Dave Allison, senior campaign director at Oceana. "Today's decision is an enormous step in the right direction and now it's up to the full council."