| Over
the last decade, marine resource managers have become increasingly
concerned over the growing number of marine protected species/fisheries
interactions in Atlantic coastal state waters. Such interactions
have ranged from right whale/lobster trap fishery interactions
throughout New England to sea turtle/gillnet interactions throughout
the South Atlantic.
In the mid-1990s,
the Atlantic coastal states, through the Commission, conducted
several workshops to seek ways to improve state/federal cooperation
in protected species management. These workshops resulted in the
development of |
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the Commission's Protected Species Program. Program activities
include the incorporation of protected species issues in the Commission's
fishery management plans, ASMFC participation on the East Coast
Take Reduction Teams, conducting workshops on issues of concern
(i.e., Section 6 agreements under the Endangered Species Act),
and education and outreach. Oversight for these activities is
provided by the Commission's Protected Species Committee.
Throughout
2004, the Commission will be developing a comprehensive report
characterizing Atlantic coastal state fisheries by gear type and
level of sea turtle interaction. The purpose of this work is to
better understand what fisheries in state waters are interacting
with sea turtles and to provide information that can be used to
prioritize fishery interaction concerns. To learn more about this
project, click here. |
