The National Marine Fisheries Service has announced that, due to a lack of resources, the agency will not increase monitoring of sea turtle bycatch in 2022. NMFS annually identifies fisheries that it observes (by placing observers on relevant fishing vessels) in order to monitor and mitigate sea turtle bycatch––which is the primary source of human-caused sea turtle injury and mortality in the United States. All sea turtle species are protected by the Endangered Species Act. Each fishery is placed on a five-year surveillance list; and for calendar year 2022, NMFS will observe six fisheries in the Gulf of Mexico, Southeastern Atlantic, Mid-Atlantic, Chesapeake Bay, and Long Island.
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