NOAA has issued the following release…
Beginning June 17, if your commercial fishery operates in state or federal waters and is listed on the 2010 Annual Determination for the Sea Turtle Observer Requirement, your vessel may be asked to carry a fisheries observer. This will enable NOAA Fisheries Service to learn more about sea turtle interactions in a given fishery, evaluate existing measures to reduce or prevent prohibited sea turtle interactions and determine whether additional measures to protect sea turtles are necessary.
When a fishery is listed on the Annual Determination, it remains on the list for 5 years. During this time, vessels operating in the fishery may be asked to carry a fisheries observer. At the end of the 5-year period, if NOAA Fisheries Service determines that it is necessary to continue to observe a particular fishery, the fishery may be re-listed on a subsequent Annual Determination.
To view the Federal Register notice which includes the list of fisheries in this Annual Determination please visit our website.
http://www.nero.noaa.gov/prot_res/seaturtles/regs.html