Impacts in the marine en\ironment 



It is estimated that before the implementation of TEDs, the U.S. commercial shrimp fleet killed 

 between 500 and 5.000 Kemp's ridleys each year. This compares to 75-750 estimated mortalities 

 due to all other known human causes. TED regulations have been in place in the U.S. and in 

 Mexico for several years; however, shrimp trawling still poses a threat, although this threat is 

 reduced from pre-TED regulator}- years. Kemp's ridleys have also been taken in pound nets, 

 trawls, gill nets, hook and line, crab traps, and longlines. Several commercial fishing camps are 

 established along the nesting beach at Rancho Nuevo. While the fishing is of a nature not likely 

 to have severe impacts on turtles, (small boats, small-mesh gill nets) accidental take of 

 reproductively active adults cannot be ruled out and the proximity of the fishing facilities 

 increases the likelihood of take. More importantly, there has been minimal enforcement of the 

 fishing ban during the nesting season. Some trawling by Mexican vessels and some illegal 

 trawling by U.S. vessels regularly occurs within and adjacent to the protected zone. 



The Gulf of Mexico is an area of high density offshore oil extraction with chronic low-level 

 spills and occasional massive spills. The primar>' feeding grounds for adult Kemp's ridley turtles 

 in the Gulf of Mexico are near major areas of near shore and offshore oil exploration and 

 production. The nesting beach at Rancho Nuevo is also vulnerable and has been affected by 

 oil spills. 



The vast amount of floating debris in the Gulf of Mexico constitutes an increasingly serious 

 threat to Kemp's ridley turtles of all ages. Plastics, monofilament, discarded netting and many 

 other waste items can be ingested and can also cause mortality through entanglement. Ingestion 

 of plastic, rubber, fishing line and hooks, tar. cellophane, rope and string, wax. Styrofoam, 

 charcoal, aluminum cans and cigarette filters has been documented in sea turtles. 



Dredging operations can affect Kemp's ridley turtles through incidental take and by degrading 

 the habitat. Incidental take of ridleys has been documented with hopper dredges. In addition to 

 direct take, channelization of inshore and nearshore areas can degrade foraging and migratory 

 habitat through spoil dumping, degraded water quality/clarity and altered current flow. 



Point and non-point source discharges of agricultural and industrial chemicals, and domestic 

 sewage may have indirect effects on Kemp's ridleys by depleting food sources through 

 degradation of the habitat of prey species. Direct effects may include reduced health and fitness 

 through the disruption of physiological functions. 



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