Contact: Scott Smullen FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 7/19/96
7/19/96
The National Marine Fisheries Service granted the North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries (NCDMF) a five-year permit Monday that will allow the state to manage shrimping and sea turtle protections in a 30-mile-long area off North Carolina because of high algae concentrations there.
The permit replaces the annual "Algae Rule" amendment to federal regulations that allows shrimpers fishing between Brown's Inlet and Rich Inlet (*see exact location below) to use limited net tow times in lieu of turtle excluder devices (TEDs) because of algae concentrations there from April through November. The high concentrations of algae can render the TEDs useless in releasing sea turtles during shrimping operations. TEDs have been federally required in shrimp trawling operations since 1989.
Following this decision, each year when algae concentrations prevent the effective use of TEDs, NCDMF will issue a proclamation stating that shrimpers may trawl without TEDs, but only if they possess a special exemption permit and use tow-time limits. This proclamation will be in effect from the date of issuance through November 30 of that year. Tow-times are limited to lessen the impact of submergence should any sea turtles be captured in the nets. Since 1992, no sea turtle has been captured in this area under the limited tow-time exemption.
Officials expect that up to 45 shrimpers will request special registration permits to exempt them from using TEDs. The fishery will have 5 percent onboard observer coverage for at least the first year of the permit. The permit is allowed under Section 10 of the Endangered Species Act.
The NCDMF will notify and consult with the fisheries service if the TED-exempt tows result in the death of one endangered Kemp's ridley, hawksbill, green, or leatherback sea turtle, or two threatened loggerhead sea turtles during any one year.
Each year since 1992, regulations (the "Algae Rule") have been issued for the shrimp fishery in this area, allowing the use of limited tow times in lieu of pulling TEDs. This permit replaces the need for such regulations. The tow times will adhere to the National Academy of Science guidelines, limiting tows to 55 minutes April 1 through October, and 75 minutes during November. This corresponds to 40 minutes bottom time in the summer months and 60 minutes during the colder month of November. Tow times will be measured, by land-based enforcement officers, from the time the trawl doors enter the water until the time they are removed from the water.
Headquarted in Silver Spring, Md., the National Marine Fisheries Service is part of the Commerce Department's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
###* The permit allows NCDMF to manage the shrimp trawl fishery in a restricted area of North Carolina approximately 30 nautical miles (nm) long, from Rich Inlet (34ø17.6' N. latitude) and Brown's Inlet (34ø35.7' N latitude) to a distance of 1 nm seaward of the COLREGS line.
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