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Reducing Sea Turtle Bycatch in Trawl Nets: a History of NMFS Turtle Excluder Device (TED) Research

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Reducing Sea Turtle Bycatch in Trawl Nets: a History of NMFS Turtle Excluder Device (TED) Research Reducing Sea Turtle Bycatch in Trawl Nets: A History of NMFS Turtle Excluder Device (TED) Research LEKELIA D. JENKINS Introduction and at one time had a nesting female in 1913. This fishery involves pulling Sea turtle, Chelonioidea, bycatch population of only 300 individuals a net behind a boat. With advances in became a Federal management issue for (National Research Council, 1990; Lutz fishing technology, such as more power- the U.S. southeast shrimp trawl fishery and Musick, 1997; Lutz et al., 2003). ful engines and winches to haul the net, in the 1970’s after the listing of all seven NMFS and the U.S Fish and Wildlife shrimpers began using larger nets and sea turtle species under the Endangered Service (FWS) share responsibility for pulling them for longer periods of time. Species Act (ESA). Although five spe- protecting sea turtles, with NMFS being Presently, shrimpers typically tow their cies of sea turtle may encounter shrimp responsible for protection at sea and the nets underwater for 2–3 h at a time. Sea trawls in U.S. waters, those of most con- FWS being responsible for protection on turtles encountering a net might attempt cern are the loggerhead, Caretta caretta, land, such as protecting nesting females, to swim away from it and are often en- and Kemp’s ridley, Lepidochelys kempii. eggs, and hatchlings. trained. If unable to surface to breathe, The loggerhead is the sea turtle most To conserve sea turtles, people have turtles can drown during the long tow often captured by U.S. shrimp trawls. taken measures to protect them, par- time (National Research Council, 1990). At the beginning of the National Marine ticularly as hatchlings and adults. Beach To address the problem of sea turtle Fisheries Service (NMFS), NOAA, monitors relocate and place protective bycatch in trawls, it is essential to research program, the Kemp’s ridley barriers around nests. Municipalities understand the fishing process and the was considered the most endangered have encouraged or mandated that resi- fishing gear used. During the shrimp sea turtle, because it nests on only dents regulate light use and beach traffic. fishing process the outriggers, which one beach, Rancho Nuevo, Mexico, With limited success, some conservation are stored upright, are lowered over the and management groups have attempted water (Fig. 1). Attached to each outrig- captive breeding, artificial imprinting of ger are one or two nets typically 30–50 Lekelia D. Jenkins is with the School of Marine hatchlings on new nesting beaches, and ft in headrope length (Fig. 2). Each net and Environmental Affairs, University of Wash- ington, 3707 Brooklyn Ave. N.E., Seattle, WA headstarting (the captive rearing and is equipped with a pair of large rect- 98105 ([email protected]). Mention of trade names release of turtles once they are beyond angular wooden doors that are 3–10 ft or commercial firms does not imply endorse- the size of most natural predation) (Na- long. When lowered into the water, they ment by the National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA. tional Research Council, 1990; Lutz and slide on their edge along the seabed. The Musick, 1997; Lutz et al., 2003). doors are rigged with chains to pull at However, studies on the reproductive an angle so that the force of the water value of different life stages of log- pushes them apart and spreads the net ABSTRACT—Thirty-six years ago, NOAA’s gerhead sea turtles reveal that recovery open between them. National Marine Fisheries Service began of these populations cannot occur with For each door, attached between the research on how to reduce mortality of sea protection of eggs and hatchlings alone. door and ahead of the net is a tickler turtles, Chelonioidea, in shrimp trawls. As a result of efforts of NMFS and many stake- The most reproductively valuable life- chain. This looped length of chain drags holders, including domestic and foreign fish- stages are subadults and adults, which along the seabed, startling shrimp off the ermen, environmentalists, Sea Grant agents, are the lifestages most impacted as bottom so that they can be captured by and government agencies, many trawl fish- bycatch (Crouse et al., 1987). Thus is it the net. A leadline, also known as a foot - eries around the world use a version of the critical to reduce sea turtle mortality in rope, is the weighted line that extends turtle excluder device (TED). This article chronicles the contributions of NMFS to this shrimp trawls. between the doors along the bottom of effort, much of which occurred at the NMFS Shrimp and sea turtles often share the net and helps to keep the net close Mississippi Laboratories in Pascagoula. the same aquatic habitat—including to the seabed. The corkline, floatline, Specifically, it summarizes the impetus for coastal waters along the southeastern or headrope is attached to the top of the and results of major developments and little known events in the TED research and dis- United States—so shrimpers have likely net and is fixed with varying numbers of cusses how these influenced the course of encountered sea turtles since the begin- floats. The floats and weights help deter- subsequent research. ning of the U.S. shrimp trawl fishery mine the shape of the net in the water. 26 Marine Fisheries Review Figure 1.—Shrimp trawl boat (Source: Maril, 1983). The shape of the net is also affected Grant agents, and government agen- 1976, but it was linked to events that by how it is sewn together, and about six cies—this extended community invent- took place in 1973 and 1974. During different types of net designs are used in ed and continues to improve the turtle those years, while observing the op- the U.S. shrimp trawl fishery. The seams excluder device (TED). The notable eration of various experimental trawl of the net, where the top net is sewn to contributions of members of this com- nets, NMFS serendipitously recorded the bottom net, are called the wings. The munity, including shrimpers and Sea three sea turtles encountering the trawl entrance of the net is called the mouth. Grant agents, far exceeds the capacity net. One of these trawls was a separa- The net tapers back from the mouth to of one paper, so this article focuses on tor trawl, a type of net that has a large form a funnel, and the narrow part of the the contributions of NMFS to this effort, mesh panel that directed large objects funnel is referred to as the throat. At the much of which occurred at the NMFS out of a hole in the net while allowing back of the net is the net bag or codend, Mississippi Laboratories in Pascagoula small objects like shrimp to proceed into where the captured shrimp are collected. (Fig. 3). Specifically, it summarizes the the net bag (Fig. 4). The turtle became Attached to the codend is the lazy line impetus for and results of major NMFS entangled by its scutes and flippers and that allows the back of the net to be developments and little known events became trapped in the exclusion chute swung onboard for emptying (Maril, in the TED research and discusses how (Ogren et al., 1977). The video of these 1983; 1995; Maiolo, 2004). these influenced the course of subse- encounters laid the foundation for the This paper chronicles the research quent NMFS research. initial course of research NMFS pursued that the NMFS began 36 years ago on re- in 1976, when NMFS began researching ducing mortality of sea turtles in shrimp History gear modifications that would reduce trawls. As a result of the combined sea turtle mortality in shrimp trawls. At efforts of NMFS and many stakehold- Barrier Devices the beginning of its research program, ers—including domestic and foreign The effort to invent a device to reduce NMFS consulted with sea turtle special- fishermen, environmentalists, Sea sea turtle bycatch in trawls began in ists Archie Carr and Larry Ogren. Based 74(2) 27 Figure 2. —Shrimp trawl net (Source: Maiolo, 2004). on the video, the turtle specialists were configurations, causing the bottom-line problems with the reverse barrier with concerned that if a sea turtle entered of the barrier to touch the seafloor, stim- limited success. the trawl net, its marginal scutes might ulating shrimp ahead of the trawl and In 1981, NMFS abandoned the become entangled in the mesh. For this allowing their escape. In 1978, NMFS reverse barrier device because of its reason, NMFS initially pursued a barrier abandoned the forward barrier, because high rate of shrimp loss and complex panel to prevent the capture of sea turtles it only reduced turtle capture by 30% design. The device also became easily by barring their entrance to the net. and had a large (38–53%) shrimp loss. clogged with debris that caused the Fieldwork on the gear began in In 1979, gear specialists modified the trawl to become deformed, resulting 1978, with limited collaboration with forward barrier design, resulting in the in the capture of turtles and the loss of the Southeastern Fisheries Association “reverse barrier” (Fig. 5). In this design, shrimp. In addition, the device required and the Texas Shrimp Association to the webbing panel attached to the head- custom fitting to the net, thus greatly facilitate the use of commercial fishing rope and sloped backwards from it to restricting subsequent alterations to the vessels to conduct sea turtle population the footrope. The best reverse barrier trawl dimensions. For example, in order studies and to test gear. NMFS devel- design reduced turtle capture by 79% to fish effectively for different species oped two panel designs.
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