Reducing sea turtle bycatch in trawl nets: a history of NMFS turtle excluder device (TED) research

Thirty-six years ago, NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service began research on how to reduce mortality of sea turtles, Chelonioidea, in shrimp trawls. As a result of efforts of NMFS and many stakeholders, including domestic and foreign fishermen, environmentalists, Sea Grant agents, and government agencies, many trawl fisheries around the world use a version of the turtle excluder device (TED). This article chronicles the contributions of NMFS to this effort, much of which occurred at the NMFS Mississippi Laboratories in Pascagoula. Specifically, it summarizes the impetus for and results of major developments and little known events in the TED research and discusses how these influenced the course of subsequent research.

Effects of blood extraction on horseshoe crabs (Limulus polyphemus)

Horseshoe crabs (Limulus polyphemus) are caught by commercial fishermen for use as bait in eel and whelk fisheries (Berkson and Shuster, 1999)—fisheries with an annual economic value of $13 to $17 million (Manion et al.1). Horse-shoe crabs are ecologically important, as well (Walls et al., 2002). Migratory shorebirds rely on horseshoe crab eggs for food as they journey from South American wintering grounds to Arctic breeding grounds (Clark, 1996). Horse-shoe crabs are also essential for public health (Berkson and Shuster, 1999). Biomedical companies bleed horse-shoe crabs to extract a chemical used to detect the presence of endotoxins pathogenic to humans in injectable and implantable medical devices (Novitsky, 1984; Mikkelsen, 1988). Bled horseshoe crabs are returned to the wild, subject to the possibility of postbleeding mortality. Recent concerns of overharvesting have led to conflicts among commercial fishermen, environmentalists acting on behalf of the shorebirds, and biomedical companies (Berkson and Shuster, 1999; Walls et al., 2002).

Marine protected areas and small-scale fisheries in South Africa: promoting governance, participation, equity and benefit sharing

This monograph studies the progress achieved by conservation partners in South Africa on the implementation of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) Programme Element Two components of governance, participation, equity and benefit sharing, from the perspective of small-scale fishing communities. It explores the strategies and mechanisms used by different authorities to create the conditions whereby local communities can benefit from marine protected areas (MPAs), of which South Africa has gazetted 24, highlighting examples of best practice. The monograph will be useful for researchers, scientists, fishworker organizations, environmentalists and anyone interested in the protection of marine biodiversity and the promotion of sustainable fisheries management.

Social relations and dynamics shaping the implementation of the voluntary guidelines on small-scale fisheries (SSF guidelines) in South Africa

Integral to achieving the SSF Guidelines goal of targeting the most vulnerable and marginalized persons and eliminating discrimination is the need to have adequate understanding of the power relations and intersectionalities that shape access to and control over marine and other resources according to gender, age, race, ethnicity, labour and migratory status, disability, geographic location and other characteristics relevant in each national contexts. This monograph identifies and explores the key social relations and dynamics in the SSF fisheries sector in South Africa impacting the implementation of the SSF Guidelines. The monograph will be useful for researchers, scientists, fishworker organizations, environmentalists and anyone interested in the protection of marine biodiversity and the promotion of sustainable fisheries management.