Sometimes They Bite the Hook

You are on your boat with your line in the water and you are anxiously waiting for that big one to take the bait, when, all of a sudden, you feel the tug.

You just know you have a keeper on the end of your line when up pops the head of a turtle! Now, what do you do?

It’s not a farfetched idea.

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Past, Present, Future

On May 15, North Carolina implemented new restrictions on the use of large-mesh gill nets in coastal waters for the protection of threatened and endangered sea turtles.

The regulations followed nearly a year of events – starting with increased federal observer coverage of the fishery in Core Sound and ending with a lawsuit settlement agreement – where the issue of gill net interactions with sea turtles took center stage in state fisheries management.

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Fishing to Avoid Interactions

One of the biggest challenges facing North Carolina commercial fisheries today is how toavoid interactions with endangered species.

“State fisheries authorities wrestle with this issue every day as they try to find ways to continue an economically and socially important industry and still protect sea turtles,” said Louis Daniel, director of the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries.

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Advisory Committee Will Review Issues

The N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission has set up a Sea Turtle Advisory Committee to help look into various issues related to sea turtles and fishing.

The committee held its first meeting Tuesday to discuss its charge and learn more about the Endangered Species Act.

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