TALLAHASSEE – The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission proposed rule amendments June 18 that would give Florida shrimpers more ways to avoid the unintended catch of marine animals and protected sea turtles in their fishing nets.
The FWC’s proposed rules would allow the use of bycatch-reduction devices for shrimp trawls in Florida waters that have recently been cleared for use in adjacent federal waters.
The proposed rules would also automatically allow future federally approved bycatch-reduction devices to be used in state waters and update FWC turtle-excluder-device regulations for shrimp trawls.
The FWC has required the use of bycatch-reduction devices in shrimp trawls for over 10 years. These devices are designed to reduce unwanted fish in shrimp trawls by providing a way to let fish and other accidentally captured aquatic animals escape through an opening in the trawl while still allowing the harvest of shrimp.
Two kinds of bycatch-reduction devices are and will continue to be allowed in state waters – the Florida finfish excluder (fisheye) and the extended funnel. The FWC’s proposed rules would also allow several other federally certified bycatch-reduction devices to be used in shrimp trawls in state waters and allow the use of new designs when they are federally approved.
In addition, the FWC is proposing needed updates to its rules requiring the use of turtle-excluder devices in shrimp trawls. These devices have been required in shrimp trawls used off Florida’s coast for nearly 20 years and are designed to allow a turtle caught in a shrimp trawl to escape through an opening in the trawl.
A final public hearing on the proposed rule amendments will take place during the FWC’s September meeting.
