Project Page

Reducing Juvenile Sea Turtle Bycatch through Development of Reduced Bar Spacing in Turtle Excluder Device

Implementing Organization

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Overview

DWH Project Funding

$2,249,000

Known Leveraged Funding

$0

Funding Organization

Natural Resource Damage Assessment Trustees (NRDA)

Funding Program

Natural Resource Damage Assessment NRDA

Details

Project Category

Environmental

Project Actions

Species Restoration

Targeted Resources

Sea Turtles

Project Description

This project will develop and test new Turtle Excluder Device (TED) prototype configurations, with smaller bar spacing, for their ability to exclude small juvenile sea turtles. Each new TED design will be tested for turtle exclusion using the existing National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) small sea turtle TED testing protocol and for target catch retention aboard commercial fishing vessels. Although otter trawls (a type of net) used for shrimping are currently required to use TEDs, small juvenile turtles are still vulnerable to capture because their small size allows them to slip through the TED bar spaces into the net or inhibits them from pushing through the TED opening to escape. By adjusting the dimensions and/or configuration of TEDs, there will be improved escapement of small turtles and a decrease in sea turtle mortality. Initial project activities include the collection and captive rearing of loggerhead hatchlings for approximately one year to a size appropriate for TED prototype testing. Loggerhead sea turtle hatchlings will be raised in captivity in a permitted facility to an appropriate size in order to test small bar spacing TED designs for turtle escapement. The continued development of TED prototypes will occur in years one through three. Testing of selected TED prototypes for sea turtle exclusion and target catch retention rates would occur in years three and four of the project. Additionally, industry engagement meetings would be conducted in each Gulf state to inform the shrimp fishermen about the project and request input during initial project implementation planning. A stakeholder workgroup with at leas...click on "More Info" link below

Contact

Christina Fellas
(727) 551-5714
christina.fellas@noaa.gov
Project Website
Project Partners

None

Affiliated Institutions

For official trustee information regarding the Deepwater Horizon NRDA, including information regarding the NRDA process and the status of projects, see https://www.gulfspillrestoration.noaa.gov/

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