LAFITTE, La. – New federal efforts to save endangered sea turtles in the Gulf of Mexico are angering shrimpers who say their livelihood is being threatened.
The culprit, in their view, is equipment called a turtle excluder device, or TED.
The device is designed to allow an escape from shrimp nets for the Kemp's ridley and other sea turtles.
But shrimpers say the device also permits their catch to escape.
A spike in dead turtles along the northern Gulf since early 2010 has added urgency to preservation efforts. Scientists say most died due to drowning, most likely in shrimp nets, and not from BP's oil spill.
Rules for use of TEDs in coastal waters are being put together by the National Marine Fisheries Service and could be in effect by March 2013.
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