Mark One Up For the Turtles!!!

On April 15 I posted about the lawsuit that was filed by Earthjustice, the Center for Biological Diversity, Defenders of Wildlife, and a coalition of other conservation groups — Caribbean Conservation Corporation, Florida Wildlife Federation, Gulf Restoration Network and Sea Turtle Restoration Project — to help protect sea turtles.

April 15 Post:
A Fight for the Sea Turtles
Several groups have filed a complaint to stop bottom longline fishing in the Gulf of Mexico. This type of fishing costs the lives of hundreds of sea turtles each year.

Today:
As a result emergency Action has been taken for threatened and endangered sea turtles. Federal regulators passed a temporary ban on commercial longline fishing in a popular sea turtle feeding area in the Gulf of Mexico. During the closure, which will go into effect May 16, the agency will determine whether and how the fishery can operate while ensuring the survival of the turtles over the long term.

Yeah, for the Turtles!!

Here is another article about how those in the fishing industry think this ban may devastate restaurant owners. The ban affects 104 fleets, which catch an estimated 60to 70 percent of all grouper in the Gulf, which will make grouper very expensive.

Now, the restaurants serve many other sea foods, can't we just eat something else? Can't the fishermen concentrate on finding a better way to catch grouper or catch a different kind of fish? I really like grouper, but it just isn't that important to me whether I have grouper or another kind of fish, if it means saving hundreds of sea turtles each year.