The Northeast Distant Fishery Experiment was conducted from 2001 through 2003 on the high seas of the Western Atlantic Ocean, in an area off New Foundland known as the Grand Banks. In cooperation with Blue Water Fishermen's Association and the Fisheries Research Institute, NOAA Fisheries worked to test various fishing methods, such as bait and gear type, to determine which combinations worked best to minimize sea turtle encounters in pelagic longline fisheries. Thirteen American longline vessels were contracted to carry out the research with NOAA Fisheries scientists and private sector gear developers to find the winning combinations used to achieve up to a 90 percent reduction in fishing gear-sea turtle interactions for leatherbacks and loggerheads. The researchers went a few steps further and developed new gear so fishermen could safely dehook and disentangle the few turtles that were accidentally caught. NOAA Fisheries and partners are now launching an international education initiative to invite all fishing nations with pelagic longline fleets to begin exploring this technology to make all the world's longline operations more selective and help protect sea turtles. (Drawing courtesy www.seaturtle.org.)

Photos for Download

Dehooking a Turtle

Longline Vessels

Workshops in Ecuador

Eagle Eye II & Leatherback Lift

Watch the Video: The Leatherback Lift - During the research, fishermen asked gear developers to find a way to bring large turtles on board the vessel to remove fishing hooks or other gear in a way that would not harm the turtle. This led to the creation of a turtle elevator, which is demonstrated in the video, titled "Leatherbacks Aboard" (.mpeg, 12:28, 130MB). TO DOWNLOAD: Right click and select 'SAVE AS'