Shrimping and Sea Turtles: Is It Either/Or?

July 15, 2010
New York Times: Shrimping and Sea Turtles: Is It Either/Or?

Because of an unusually high number of turtle strandings since the gulf oil spill – about six times the usual number – environmentalists are asking the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to take extra steps to protect sea turtles from shrimpers.

As I write in my examination of animal deaths in the gulf in The New York Times, more than 450 dead turtles, most of them endangered Kemp’s ridleys, have been found since the spill. Oil might be the most obvious culprit, but much of the evidence points to shrimp boats, whose nets can drown turtles.

One major problem with that theory is that there have been far fewer shrimpers in the gulf than in previous seasons. But there have also been reports that more turtles have been hanging around near the coast, raising questions about whether the oil has driven them there or there is some other explanation – for example, a rebounding population – for the increase. More turtles in heavily trafficked areas means more accidents.

Regardless of the cause, the Turtle Island Restoration Network and the Center for Biological Diversity are arguing that turtles, which are vulnerable to oil fumes and oiled food and which don’t instinctively avoid oil, can’t take the stress of more shrimping right now.

The Texas shrimping season opens Thursday night after its annual two-month shutdown, and boats from as far as the Eastern seaboard will be sailing there to shrimp. This year, with shrimp prices high, a high number of shrimpers are expected. Environmental groups are asking that the closing be extended and have notified NOAA that they intend to file a lawsuit charging that the oil spill requires a re-evaluation of commercial fishing policies under the Endangered Species Act.

“Right now, we need to be protecting the remaining fish and wildlife in the gulf, so it can provide a genetic pool for wildlife to recolonize once this mess is cleaned up,” said Todd Steiner, a biologist and the executive director of the Turtle Island Restoration Network. “This is not the time to be short-sighted and selfish to both future generations of fishers and the American public by vacuuming up all the life that has survived the oil disaster.”