Ocean Sentry
Scientists Fear Double Whammy of Drowning in Oil and Shrimp Nets Will Lead to Extinction in the Gulf of Mexico
With BP’s massive oil spill in the Gulf pushing rare sea turtles closer than ever to extinction, two environmental groups today petitioned the federal government for an emergency extension of the shrimp fishery seasonal closure. The closure is scheduled to expire Thursday, July 15. The groups also asked the National Marine Fisheries Service to conduct an analysis required by the Endangered Species Act before allowing the fishery to open as usual to determine whether sea turtles would be jeopardized. “The government needs to ensure that sea turtles are adequately protected when the shrimp season opens,” said Deborah A. Sivas, a professor of environmental law and director of Stanford Environmental Law Clinic, which is representing the California- and Texas-based Turtle Island Restoration Network and the Center for Biological Diversity….
Source: Center for Biological Diversity
