Turtle Excluder Devices
 Trawling for shrimp has only been technologically
possible since the 1950s, when large nets and powerful
engines made catching shrimp in the open ocean possible.
However, along with the shrimp, sea turtles sometimes
got caught in the nets. Since 1989, U.S. shrimp
harvesters have been required by federal law to have
turtle excluder devices (TEDs) installed in their nets.
The U.S. Coast Guard reports that compliance with the
law by American shrimpers is 98 percent. A TED is a
metal grid sewn into the shrimp trawl nets that provides
an "escape hatch" for turtles. If a turtle is swept up
in a net, the TED allows the turtle to swim out of the
net, while the shrimp remain in the net. Extensive
research has resulted in the creation of TEDs which are
over 96 percent effective in allowing release of
turtles.
Because of a major international effort to protect sea
turtles, over 40 nations have been certified as
employing shrimp conservation methods similar to those
of the United States. Under these guidelines, all shrimp
entering the United States must have documentation
showing that the shrimp is caught using turtle-safe
methods. Private programs that imply certification of
shrimp as safe for turtles simply duplicate some
portions of the government's program.
Aquaculture is becoming a more important source for
shrimp. A relatively new, but rapidly-growing commercial
field, aquaculture now provides about 25 percent of all
shrimp worldwide. Fifty percent of the shrimp available
in the United States comes from farms, where there is no
interaction with turtles. In addition, a portion of the
shrimp harvested worldwide comes from cold waters where
sea turtles are not found.
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