Interactions between sea turtles and dredge gear in the US sea scallop (Placopecten magellanicus) fishery, 2001-2008

Published source details Murray K.T. (2011) Interactions between sea turtles and dredge gear in the US sea scallop (Placopecten magellanicus) fishery, 2001-2008. Fisheries Research, 107, 137-146.
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This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

	Action	Category
	Install exclusion devices on fishing gear: Sea turtles Action Link

Install exclusion devices on fishing gear: Sea turtles

A controlled study in 2001–2008 of a pelagic area in the Mid-Atlantic, USA (Murray 2011) found that scallop dredges with chain mats had lower interaction rates with sea turtles than dredges without chain mats. Overall, the interaction rate of dredges with chain mats and sea turtles was estimated to be 86% lower than that of dredges without chain mats (data reported as statistical model results). The author reported a small number of entanglements with dredges with or without chain mats (see original paper). Turtles observed were loggerhead turtles Caretta caretta (47), Kemp’s ridley turtles Lepidochelys kempii (1) or unidentified species (16). Commercial vessels harvested sea scallops Placopecten magellanicus using dredges with and without chain mats attached (fishing effort for each not reported). Chain mats (vertical and horizontal chains hung on the dredge bag) became mandatory from September 2006 in part of the fishing area during May–November each year. Observers onboard the fishing vessels recorded turtles interacting with the dredge gear during a total of 125,658 h (approximately 3% of all commercial fishing trips) in 2001–2008.

(Summarised by: Amos Bouskila)