Sea Turtle Resuscitation and Handling Requirements
As part of its Section 10 Permit from the National Marine Fisheries Service, the North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries (NCDMF) is required to notify fishermen of handling and resuscitation requirements that they must use for incidentally captured sea turtles. In fulfillment of that requirement, the following guidelines are issued:
A. Fishermen must bring captured turtles aboard immediately upon detecting them in their net and remove them from the net with all due care to avoid further injury to the turtle.
B. Resuscitation must be attempted on sea turtles that are inactive or comatose by placing the turtle in its normal position on its breastplate (plastron) and elevating its hindquarters several inches for a period of one to 24 hours. The amount of the elevation depends on the size of the turtle; greater elevations are needed for larger turtles. Sea turtles being resuscitated must be kept moist and protected from excessive heat and cold.
C. Sea turtles that are actively moving or begin actively moving following resuscitation must be held aboard the vessel in an open container (e.g. a fish box) that allows the turtle to rest normally on its breastplate, while restricting its movement and preventing the possibility of injury from any fishing operations. Turtles that are too large to fit inside a holding container must be otherwise confined to an area of the vessel that is free from sharp objects of harmful materials and where chance of injury from fishing operations is minimal.
D. For sea turtles that are active and uninjured, fishermen must transport the turtle to Hatteras or Ocracoke Inlet and release it into the water. Do not release turtles in Oregon Inlet as dredging operations in that area continue. Turtles must be released over the stern or side of the boat with the engine out of gear, in an area where they are unlikely to be injured by vessels. Turtles must be brought as near as possible to the actual mouth of the inlet for release, consistent with safe operation of the vessel given sea and weather conditions, but in no case should turtles be released farther than 2.5 nautical miles from the inlet mouth. Vessels fishing along the mainland shore of Pamlico Sound should follow the directions for injured, lethargic or dead sea turtles in letter E below.
E. For sea turtles that are injured, lethargic, or dead, fishermen must contact the NCDMF Marine Patrol at 1-800-682-2632 or (252) 726-7021 and transfer the turtle to a Marine Patrol Officer. If no NCDMF Marine Patrol is in the vicinity you will be instructed what to do until a Marine Patrol Officer arrives. Fisherman in the vicinity of Oregon or Hatteras Inlet should transport these turtles by boat to the nearest Coast Guard Station.
As part of its Section 10 Permit from the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), the North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries (NCDMF) is required to notify fishermen of precautions to take in the presence of manatees. In fulfillment of that requirement the following guidelines are issued:
1. Fishermen are informed that manatees may be present in the area, and that they need to avoid causing any harm to these endangered mammals. Fishermen should know the general appearance of the species and their habit of moving about completely or partially submerged in shallow water. All fishermen are responsible for observing water-related activities for the presence of manatees.
2. All fishermen are advised that there are civil and criminal penalties for harming, harassing, or killing manatees, which are protected under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) of 1972, as amended.
3. If a manatee is seen within 300 ft of the active vessel movement, all appropriate precautions shall be implemented to ensure protection of the manatee. The precautions shall include the operation of all moving vessels no closer than 50 ft of a manatee. Operation of any vessels closer than 50 ft to a manatee shall necessitate immediately placing any motors in neutral or shutting them off. Activities will not resume until the manatee has departed the project area on its own volition. Manatees should not be herded away or harassed into leaving.
4. For help with an entangled, injured, or stranded manatee, please contact:
Gretchen Lovewell
NOAA, Beaufort Lab
101 Pivers Island Road
Beaufort, NC 28516
252-728-8762 (office)
252-444-8064 (pager)
5. Any boat collision or fishing gear interaction with and/or injury to a manatee will be reported immediately. The report must be made to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC), and fishing should be postponed until cause of injury or mortality can be determined and a revised fishing and/or monitoring plan is produced and approved. The contact at the USFWS is:
David R. Rabon, Jr.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
P.O. Box 33726
Raleigh, NC 27636-3726
919-856-4520 x 16 (office)
919-856-4556 (fax)
6. This Notice should be posted in all fish houses associated with the fishery where it is clearly visible, and will be distributed, as appropriate, to vessel operators to post in vessels.
CAUTION: The endangered manatee may occur in these waters during the warmer months, primarily from June through October. Idle speed is required if operating this vessel in shallow water during these months. All motors must be shut down or placed in neutral if a manatee comes within 50 ft of the fishing vessel. A collision with and/or injury to a manatee will be reported immediately to the USFWS and NCWRC.
7. All vessels associated with the fishing activities will operate at “no wake/idle” speeds at all times while in water where the draft of the vessel provides less than four-feet clearance from the bottom. All vessels will follow routes of deep water whenever possible.
Sea Turtle Resuscitation and Handling Requirements
As part of its Section 10 Permit from the National Marine Fisheries Service, the North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries (NCDMF) is required to notify fishermen of handling and resuscitation requirements that they must use for incidentally captured sea turtles. In fulfillment of that requirement, the following guidelines are issued:
A. Fishermen must bring captured turtles aboard immediately upon detecting them in their net and remove them from the net with all due care to avoid further injury to the turtle.
B. Resuscitation must be attempted on sea turtles that are inactive or comatose by placing the turtle in its normal position on its breastplate (plastron) and elevating its hindquarters several inches for a period of one to 24 hours. The amount of the elevation depends on the size of the turtle; greater elevations are needed for larger turtles. Sea turtles being resuscitated must be kept moist and protected from excessive heat and cold.
C. Sea turtles that are actively moving or begin actively moving following resuscitation must be held aboard the vessel in an open container (e.g. a fish box) that allows the turtle to rest normally on its breastplate, while restricting its movement and preventing the possibility of injury from any fishing operations. Turtles that are too large to fit inside a holding container must be otherwise confined to an area of the vessel that is free from sharp objects of harmful materials and where chance of injury from fishing operations is minimal.
D. For sea turtles that are active and uninjured, fishermen must transport the turtle to Hatteras or Ocracoke Inlet and release it into the water. Do not release turtles in Oregon Inlet as dredging operations in that area continue. Turtles must be released over the stern or side of the boat with the engine out of gear, in an area where they are unlikely to be injured by vessels. Turtles must be brought as near as possible to the actual mouth of the inlet for release, consistent with safe operation of the vessel given sea and weather conditions, but in no case should turtles be released farther than 2.5 nautical miles from the inlet mouth. Vessels fishing along the mainland shore of Pamlico Sound should follow the directions for injured, lethargic or dead sea turtles in letter E below.
E. For sea turtles that are injured, lethargic, or dead, fishermen must contact the NCDMF Marine Patrol at 1-800-682-2632 or (252) 726-7021 and transfer the turtle to a Marine Patrol Officer. If no NCDMF Marine Patrol is in the vicinity you will be instructed what to do until a Marine Patrol Officer arrives. Fisherman in the vicinity of Oregon or Hatteras Inlet should transport these turtles by boat to the nearest Coast Guard Station.
As part of its Section 10 Permit from the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), the North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries (NCDMF) is required to notify fishermen of precautions to take in the presence of manatees. In fulfillment of that requirement the following guidelines are issued:
1. Fishermen are informed that manatees may be present in the area, and that they need to avoid causing any harm to these endangered mammals. Fishermen should know the general appearance of the species and their habit of moving about completely or partially submerged in shallow water. All fishermen are responsible for observing water-related activities for the presence of manatees.
2. All fishermen are advised that there are civil and criminal penalties for harming, harassing, or killing manatees, which are protected under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) of 1972, as amended.
3. If a manatee is seen within 300 ft of the active vessel movement, all appropriate precautions shall be implemented to ensure protection of the manatee. The precautions shall include the operation of all moving vessels no closer than 50 ft of a manatee. Operation of any vessels closer than 50 ft to a manatee shall necessitate immediately placing any motors in neutral or shutting them off. Activities will not resume until the manatee has departed the project area on its own volition. Manatees should not be herded away or harassed into leaving.
4. For help with an entangled, injured, or stranded manatee, please contact:
Gretchen Lovewell
NOAA, Beaufort Lab
101 Pivers Island Road
Beaufort, NC 28516
252-728-8762 (office)
252-444-8064 (pager)
5. Any boat collision or fishing gear interaction with and/or injury to a manatee will be reported immediately. The report must be made to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC), and fishing should be postponed until cause of injury or mortality can be determined and a revised fishing and/or monitoring plan is produced and approved. The contact at the USFWS is:
David R. Rabon, Jr.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
P.O. Box 33726
Raleigh, NC 27636-3726
919-856-4520 x 16 (office)
919-856-4556 (fax)
6. This Notice should be posted in all fish houses associated with the fishery where it is clearly visible, and will be distributed, as appropriate, to vessel operators to post in vessels.
CAUTION: The endangered manatee may occur in these waters during the warmer months, primarily from June through October. Idle speed is required if operating this vessel in shallow water during these months. All motors must be shut down or placed in neutral if a manatee comes within 50 ft of the fishing vessel. A collision with and/or injury to a manatee will be reported immediately to the USFWS and NCWRC.
7. All vessels associated with the fishing activities will operate at “no wake/idle” speeds at all times while in water where the draft of the vessel provides less than four-feet clearance from the bottom. All vessels will follow routes of deep water whenever possible.