Action to prepare for a lawsuit to stop the record number of dead sea turtles stranding on Gulf of Mexico beaches gained headlines in media outlets across the Gulf this week. The Associated Press ran our story across the nation, bringing much needed attention to the deterioration of federal oversight of Turtle Excluder Device regulations in shrimp trawl nets and the dead sea turtles resulting from illegal shrimping.A portion of the story printed in the Mississippi Sun Herald is below:
“Groups plan to sue states, federal agency over failure to protect turtles
Chris Pincetich of the Sea Turtle Restoration Project said federal and state governments have failed to protect endangered sea turtles from shrimping deaths, and the groups may seek a moratorium on Gulf shrimping in court. He said the BP oil disaster is likely a main cause of hundreds of recent sea turtle deaths — far more than normal –but that shrimping is also a culprit and better regulations and enforcement are needed.
So far this year, the groups planning to sue say, more than 320 dead turtles have been found in Mississippi, Louisiana and Alabama, compared with the average of fewer than 100 a year.”
Click here to download and read the rest of the story in the Mississippi Sun Herald.
Click here to download and read the AP story in the Miami Herald.
Click here for the story then below to watch the interview with STRP’s Chris Pincetich on WKRG News 5 from Mobile, Alabama.
