A recently released report concludes most wild-caught U.S. shrimp, including a majority harvested from the Gulf of Mexico, remains a good alternative for consumers, except for shrimp landed in Louisiana or harvested in nets unmodified to protect sea turtles and other species caught accidentally.
The Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch program has “red listed” shrimp caught in Louisiana state waters. The state stands alone among Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic states in the enforcement of the federal requirements to use Turtle Excluder Devices (TEDs), which according to studies have proved effective in reducing sea turtle deaths and allowing their populations to begin a slow recovery.
Turtle excluder devices enable sea turtles, and other bycatch, caught in fishing nets to escape through special openings. Turtles sometimes are swept up into the fine mesh of a shrimper’s net and drown when unable to escape.
Under a 1987 state law backed by the Louisiana Shrimp Association, Louisiana officials are forbidden from enforcing TED requirements.
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