Will New Laws Be Enough?

A temporary ban on longline fishing for shallow water grouper has been in place since May of 2009. This ban came after an extended research was done in 2006 and 2007, showing that the longline fishing fleets were killing more than eight times the amount of sea turtles than regulators thought.

The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council is considering new laws that would combine seasonal restrictions on longline grouper fishing and a gradual reduction in the number of fleets that will be allowed to operate. The council will vote tomorrow, whether to recommend the new rules to the National Marine Fisheries Service, which could make a final decision. These rules would prohibit longline fishing in waters 210 feet or shallower between June and August, a compromise made in April between environmental groups and the fishing industry. But, after a federal observer reported observing five loggerhead turtle deaths in the month of April this year, on just one longline boat; it seems that the restricted time period may not be long enough.

All of these regulations are making it difficult for longline fishermen. Some of them have already made a switch from longlines to vertical fishing with rod and reel. Some fleets takes have dropped 75% and is making it almost impossible for them to survive. Knowing that these restrictions may put more people out of work during these tough economic times, causes strong mixed emotions. Lets just hope that there can be a balance somehow and still keep the sea turtles safe.

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.