Long Liners in the Gulf being banned during turtle season?

[Bruce]

Anybody got facts on this, just heard it from a contact in the Gulf region.

[Kevin]

When did they open a season on turtles?

[Capt. DQ]

Longliners are not allowed in certain zones of the Gulf at all. You can go to www.billfish.org or NMFS.com and check there to see which zones their even allowed to go.

DQ

[Bruce]

Dug,
This is/was a total ban on long liners during turtle mating season maybe.

Not just in specific areas.

[Capt. DQ]

Bruce,
They cannot enter certain closed zones period wether its Turtle season or not. The NMFS just got threw letting Longliners do testing for Swordfish in closed zones off the Carolina's with 10 degree offset circle hooks to what their bycatch levels are. Now those zones are closed again after testing.

Its totally amazing the amount of bycatch fish & turtles a longliner can catch and die on the hook. They almost let them back in to the Gulf around the Desoto Canyon and Spur area but change their mind, thank goodness for that. That area in the Gulf is considered a nursey.

Here's the Altantic side,

http://www.billfish.org/new/newsarticle ... ticleID=78

This link is about Pacific side longliners.

http://www.billfish.org/new/newsarticle ... ticleID=80