Proposed Rule Would Require Turtle Protective Gear in the Sea Scallop Dredge Fishery Hard-shelled turtles have been injured and killed as a result of being captured in Atlantic sea scallop dredge gear. To address this problem, NOAA Fisheries Service has been working with the scallop industry and the Virginia Institute of Marine Science to investigate the use of a modified sea scallop dredge. Based on field evaluations, the agency has determined that use of a “chain mat” would sharply reduce the capture of sea turtles in the dredge bag, and reduce injuries and deaths that occur when turtles are caught in the dredge bag (e.g., through drowning, crushing on deck, etc.) This
Twelve different vessels have participated in field evaluations of the chain mats. In each tow, the vessels fished with two sea scallop dredges, unmodified on one side of the vessel and modified with a chain mat on the other side of the vessel. Side-by-side testing was conducted during 277 fishing days and 3,248 tows (of which 2,823 tows were observed). A total of eight turtles were captured, all with the unmodified scallop dredge. As a result of this preliminary work, the agency has concluded that chain mats can prevent turtles from being caught in the dredge bag. Requiring the use of chain mats would prevent serious injuries caused as a result of interactions happening in the water column by preventing the capture of sea turtles in the dredge bag; therefore, the turtles would not be crushed by debris in the bag, dumped on the deck, or crushed on the desk by falling gear. It would also reduce the likelihood that sea turtles will be forcibly submerged due to capture in the dredge bag.
Written comments on this action may be submitted via e-mail to sc*************@no**.gov. Please include “RIN 0648-AS92” in the subject line of the message.
NOAA Fisheries Service recognizes that the specific nature of the interactions between sea turtles and sea scallop dredge gear remains unknown. Sea turtles likely interact with scallop dredge gear both on the seafloor as the gear is being fished and in the water column as the gear is being hauled back to the vessel. Agency scientists are now conducting video-recorded studies to provide more information on the interactions between sea turtles and sea scallop dredge gear in the water.
More information on this proposed action will be posted at: http://www.nero.noaa.gov/nero/regs/com.html.
Proposed Rule Would Require Turtle Protective Gear in the Sea Scallop Dredge Fishery
Hard-shelled turtles have been injured and killed as a result of being captured in Atlantic sea scallop dredge gear. To address this problem, NOAA Fisheries Service has been working with the scallop industry and the Virginia Institute of Marine Science to investigate the use of a modified sea scallop dredge. Based on field evaluations, the agency has determined that use of a “chain mat” would sharply reduce the capture of sea turtles in the dredge bag, and reduce injuries and deaths that occur when turtles are caught in the dredge bag (e.g., through drowning, crushing on deck, etc.)
Twelve different vessels have participated in field evaluations of the chain mats. In each tow, the vessels fished with two sea scallop dredges, unmodified on one side of the vessel and modified with a chain mat on the other side of the vessel. Side-by-side testing was conducted during 277 fishing days and 3,248 tows (of which 2,823 tows were observed). A total of eight turtles were captured, all with the unmodified scallop dredge. As a result of this preliminary work, the agency has concluded that chain mats can prevent turtles from being caught in the dredge bag. Requiring the use of chain mats would prevent serious injuries caused as a result of interactions happening in the water column by preventing the capture of sea turtles in the dredge bag; therefore, the turtles would not be crushed by debris in the bag, dumped on the deck, or crushed on the desk by falling gear. It would also reduce the likelihood that sea turtles will be forcibly submerged due to capture in the dredge bag.
This
proposed rule would require all dredge vessels with a Federal Atlantic sea scallop fishery permit to modify their dredge with a chain mat when fishing south of Block Island, RI, from May 1 through November 30 each year. The public is invited to comment on the proposed rule. All comments must be received by 5 pm on June 27, 2005.Written comments on this action may be submitted via e-mail to
sc*************@no**.gov. Please include “RIN 0648-AS92” in the subject line of the message.NOAA Fisheries Service recognizes that the specific nature of the interactions between sea turtles and sea scallop dredge gear remains unknown. Sea turtles likely interact with scallop dredge gear both on the seafloor as the gear is being fished and in the water column as the gear is being hauled back to the vessel. Agency scientists are now conducting video-recorded studies to provide more information on the interactions between sea turtles and sea scallop dredge gear in the water.
More information on this proposed action will be posted at: http://www.nero.noaa.gov/nero/regs/com.html.