BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) - The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries says shrimpers in southeast Louisiana can get free inspections to make sure that turtle trap doors are properly installed in their nets.
A news release Tuesday said the checkups would be Wednesday at Port Fourchon and Grand Isle; Thursday and Friday in Dulac; next Wednesday in Hopedale; April 26 in Venice; and April 27 in Buras.
It says NOAA Fisheries gear specialists will make sure turtle excluder devices are at the right angle to release sea turtles and minimize loss of shrimp.
They won’t take any enforcement actions during the checks, which take only a few minutes per net.
Before arriving at the dock, fishermen should release and hang their nets with the TEDs a few feet above the deck
Please read our comment policy before commenting.