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DOC/NOAA RIN: 0648-BK91 Publication ID: Spring 2024 
Title: Reduce Mortality of Sea Turtles in Northeast and Mid-Atlantic U.S. Trawl Fisheries 
Abstract:

Under the authority of the Endangered Species Act, NMFS is considering requiring gear and/or operational modifications in U.S. Atlantic croaker/weakfish, longfin squid, and summer flounder trawl fisheries to reduce the incidental capture of sea turtles. The measures under consideration include turtle excluder devices (TEDs) in trawls that fish for Atlantic croaker, weakfish, and longfin squid, moving the current northern boundary of the Summer Flounder Fishery-Sea Turtle Protection Area to a point further north, amending the TED requirements for the summer flounder fishery to require a larger escape opening, and adding an option requiring limited tow durations in lieu of TEDs. Final operational feasibility studies are ongoing, but bycatch reduction measures previously tested in the croaker, longfin squid, and summer flounder trawl fisheries are effective at excluding sea turtles from trawl gear while retaining the target catch. Data loggers that document tow times are development and would allow fishermen to demonstrate compliance with limited tow times. Some anticipated costs may include purchasing the TEDs, different nets, and data loggers, and related expenses. There may also be costs associated with potential reduction of landed catch (due to some of the TEDs not being as efficient at retaining target catch compared to nets without TEDs) or costs of compliance time such as the need to conduct additional tows to make up for catch reduction caused by using a TED (compared to a net without a TED) or reduced tow times.

 
Agency: Department of Commerce(DOC)  Priority: Substantive, Nonsignificant 
RIN Status: Previously published in the Unified Agenda Agenda Stage of Rulemaking: Long-Term Actions 
Major: No  Unfunded Mandates: No 
CFR Citation: Not Yet Determined     (To search for a specific CFR, visit the Code of Federal Regulations.)
Legal Authority: 16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.   
Legal Deadline:  None
Timetable:
Action Date FR Cite
NPRM  To Be Determined 
Regulatory Flexibility Analysis Required: No  Government Levels Affected: None 
Federalism: No 
Included in the Regulatory Plan: No 
RIN Data Printed in the FR: No 
Agency Contact:
Kim Damon-Randall
Director, Office of Protected Resources
Department of Commerce
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
1315 East-West Highway,
Silver Spring, MD 20910
Phone:301 427-8400
Email: kimberly.damon-randall@noaa.gov