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Posted: 9:07 PM Mar 10, 2010
Endangered Listing For Atlantic Loggerheads Sought
The federal government has recommended an endangered-species listing for the loggerhead turtles swimming off the Atlantic Ocean coast, a decision that could have big implications for the fishing industry.
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11 Comments 
The federal government has recommended an endangered-species listing for the loggerhead turtles swimming off the Atlantic Ocean coast, a decision that could have big implications for the fishing industry.
The listing was proposed Wednesday by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for seven species of loggerheads.
The NOAA's fisheries division says one of the biggest threats to loggerheads is fishing gear. Environmental groups say the proposal marks a turning point for turtle protection by requiring new measures to prevent turtles from getting caught in the gear.
The proposal is open to public comment and could be in effect by summer 2011.
The slow-maturing loggerheads typically are more than 3 feet long and weigh about 250 pounds.
Just last month The Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Center on Topsail Island filed suit in federal court against the North Carolina Department of Marine Fisheries, claiming the agency has issued permits that "have resulted in the illegal take of estimated thousands of protected sea turtles".
Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
Latest Comments
Former poster is right about agricultural and animal raising pollution. However, in response to this puts commercial fisherman out of business- I am sick of hearing it. Every coastal state with more restrictive regulations have commercial fishermen making money and feeding their families.
One more reason to ban gill nets in NC waters! I can't wait until the sea turtle hospital wins the lawsuit!
I know it will not be popular, but changes to the current fishing laws are inevitable, in my opinion. The information I've seen indicates that other coastal states have far more restrictions on commercial fishing than NC. Can you blindly keep things the way they are because it is a way of life for a small segment of the population? What is best for everyone has to be considered at some point, does it not? Are all the other states wrong? Are not enough resources wasted for the fishing laws to at least be reviewed? I do know that it is very irritating when several times a year multiple fishing spots are blocked for days/weeks at a time by several thousand of yards of unattended fishing nets. I've seen entire islands completely encircled. At the very least, the nets should have to be monitored if they are in the water.
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