Government Greenlights Turtle Tagging to Dodge Deadly Fishing Nets
Published Date: 4/9/2026
Notice
Summary
Dr. Jesse Senko from Arizona State University wants permission to study six types of endangered sea turtles by safely catching, tagging, and measuring them in North Carolina and Virginia waters. The goal is to test new ways to keep turtles from getting caught in fishing nets. Public comments are open until May 11, 2026, so everyone has a chance to weigh in before any money or permits are finalized.
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 1 costs, 1 mixed.
Researchers To Capture and Tag Turtles In Nets
If you operate pound nets or gillnets in North Carolina or pound nets in Virginia, researchers have applied for a 5-year permit to capture sea turtles from those nets to test technologies that reduce turtle bycatch. The application would allow annual takes across both locations of up to 175 green, 4 hawksbill, 110 Kemp's ridley, 9 leatherback, 245 loggerhead, 4 olive ridley, and 10 unidentified sea turtles, and would allow handling, measuring, photography, and flipper and PIT tagging before release.
Permit Allows Limited Unintentional Turtle Mortality
The applicant requests authorization for unintentional mortality during netting operations in North Carolina of up to 2 green, 2 loggerhead, 1 Kemp's ridley, 1 hawksbill, 1 leatherback, and 1 olive ridley sea turtle over the life of the permit. The permit application states the permit would be valid for 5 years.
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