Sea Turtle Conservation; Restrictions to Fishing Activities

Samenvatting

NMFS is enacting a seasonally adjusted gear restriction by closing portions of the Mid-Atlantic Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) waters to fishing with gillnets with a mesh size larger than 8-inch (20.3 cm) stretched mesh. The purpose of this action is to reduce the impact of large-mesh gillnet fisheries on endangered and threatened species of sea turtles, primarily the monkfish fishery which uses large-mesh gillnet gear and operates in the area when sea turtles are present.