Relationship between sea turtle stranding rates and shrimp fishing intensities in the northwestern Gulf of Mexico: 1986-1989 versus 1990-1993
Caillouet CW, Shaver DJ, Teas WG, Nance JM, Revera DB, Cannon AC. 1995. Relationship between sea turtle stranding rates and shrimp fishing intensities in the northwestern Gulf of Mexico: 1986-1989 versus 1990-1993. Fishery Bulletin. 94
This paper tested the null hypothesis that the statistical relationship between monthly sea turtle (species combined) stranding rate (strandings per 100 km of accessible shoreline) and monthly shrimp fishing intensities (days fished per 100 km2) in the northwestern Gulf of Mexico was the same in 1990-93 asin 1986-89. The expectation was that regulations requiring use of turtle excluder devices (TED's) in shrimp trawls during 1990-93 would reduce the incidental catch of sea turtles and thereby diminish or eliminate the statistical relationship between stranding rates and fishing intensities. Significant positive correlations were detected between the log-transformed stranding rates and fishing intensities for shrimping landward of the 20-fathom (36.6-m) contour in 1990-93. The null hypothesis was not rejected; therefore TED regulations did not result in diminishing or eliminating the statistical relationship between sea turtle stranding rates and shrimp fishing intensities in the northwestern Gulf. Various hypotheses were suggested as possible explanations.
- Type
- Newsletter Article
- Authors
- Caillouet, Charles; Shaver, Donna; Teas, Wendy; Nance, James; Revera, Dickie; Cannon, Andrea
- Keywords
- green turtle, gulf of mexico, hawksbill, kemp's ridley, leatherback, loggerhead, sea turtle, shrimp fishing, stranding rates
- Subjects
- Ecological Framework: Biological Integrity | Focal Species or Communities | Marine Communities