Robin's Reports

WIND DELAY - SEA TURTLES
by Robin

Just to let you know that seas have been building all week. By first of next week, we're looking at 6-9 ft seas!!!

In the meanwhile, I thought that I would mention an article on the deaths of Loggerhead sea turtles.

http://tampabay.com/news/environment/water/article871640.ece

Here are some clips of that article to pique your interest.

"The numbers are pretty alarming," said Tom Wheatley of the Marine Fish Conservation Network. "This is definitely an issue that will require action."Most of the grouper landed in Florida are caught by boats that lay miles of monofilament fishing line, baited with thousands of hooks, across the sea bottom. This fishing method is effective but controversial.

During the study, which lasted a year and a half, federal observers went along on 34 fishing trips and documented 18 hooked sea turtles.

About 90 percent of the world's loggerhead sea turtles nest on Florida's beaches. But in recent years, the number of documented sea turtle nests has steadily declined.


Isn't this awful??!!!

"Longlines are adding to the problem," Witherington added. "The number of loggerhead sea turtles killed in fisheries is significant enough to affect population trends, and lo and behold, we are seeing declining numbers of sea turtle nests. It is a smoking gun, and we have a dead body."

I can tell you from my own experience with fishing off the Atlantic coast that we sometimes come across dead, floating sea turtles. It is a very sombering thing to witness because we know many of these are old veterans who have survived decades, only to be killed by commercial nets or long lines. We are no fans of longlining, so we are happy to see the new findings causing some changes. FYI - Many times, longliners off the Atlantic coasts aren't even American boats. If you've ever watched Whale Wars, you'll read between the lines and figure out who's doing it. Why don't they go to their own waters and rape their side of the ocean. We're doing what we can to save our oceans and then people like this come along and kill indescriminately. It makes me mad and sick at the same time.

Getting off my soapbox.
Robin