Evaluation of U.S. Turtle Protective Measures under Existing TED Regulations,Including Estimates of Shrimp Trawler Related Mortality in the Wider Caribbean

摘要

Sea turtle catch and mortality by U.S. shrimp trawlers under current sea turtleconservation regulations were evaluated. This required a rather complex analysis of shrimping effort, turtle catch rates, turtle mortality rates, effectiveness of TEDs and tow time restrictions, and compliance with existing regulations. It is likely that many of the same turtles that are protected in U.S. waters under TED regulations are subject to take by trawlers in foreign waters. To effectively recover sea turtle populations in the western Atlantic, protection throughout a species range is essential.