The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has restricted longline fishing in the Gulf of Mexico to protect threatened loggerhead sea turtles.
The temporary rule, which will be in place from 18 May until 18 October, means that the commercial reef fish longline fleet will be required to fish seaward of a line approximating the 50-fathom contour in the Gulf of Mexico. Current regulations require this fleet to fish seaward of 20-fathoms.
NOAA says that the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council requested this emergency rule after a NOAA observer study documented the reef fish longline fleet was incidentally catching and killing too many loggerhead sea turtles. A group of conservation organisations also said that it was suing the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) to force action quickly to protect sea turtles in this area.
This rule will primarily affect longline fishermen who target shallow-water grouper species, such as red grouper. Most shallow-water grouper fishing occurs within the 50-fathom contour off the west Florida shelf – an important sea turtle feeding area – where most of the incidental sea turtle bycatches occur. The emergency rule also prohibits all reef fish longline fishing east of 85 degrees 30 minutes west longitude in the Gulf of Mexico after the quotas for deep water grouper and tilefish are reached.
"We are working closely with the council and constituents to find more permanent solutions to protect sea turtles affected by this fishing gear,” said Roy Crabtree, NOAA’s Fisheries Service southeast regional administrator. “I hope we can identify options that not only provide sea turtles the protection they need, but minimise the economic affects to the fishing industry.”
The emergency rule will be in effect for 180 days and can be extended for up to an additional 186 days. The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council is considering actions to address this issue on a long-term basis.
