The National Academy of Sciences concluded that shrimp trawling kills more sea turtles than all other human means combined. Federal laws requiring the use of Turtle Excluder Devices in shrimp nets have not stopped the needless drowning of endangered sea turtles along the Texas coast. Inconsistent enforcement of and compliance with TED laws have resulted in continued high strandings of Kemp's ridleys and other sea turtle species during the shrimping season.

More adult Kemp's ridley sea turtles wash up dead at Padre Island than anywhere else in the world. About half are pregnant females coming to nest. After years of protection, the number of nests are increasing with 8 nests found in 1997, 11 nests in 1998, and possibly other nests that were not detected.

Dead sea turtles don't lay eggs. A marine reserve will boost the slow recovery of these ancient ocean dwellers.

Nearly half of all dead adult Kemp's ridley sea turtles found stranded in the United States during the last five years were located at Padre Island; and considerably more Kemp's ridley sea turtles may have nested at Padre Island has these deaths not occurred.

Shrimp boats have been sighted close to the Padre Island shore. Recently alarming numbers of shrimp trawlers have been caught for either improperly installing their TEDs or not using them at all. One shrimper was even caught with a live Kemp's ridley in his net.




Click here to go to current compliance data for Texas, according to federal officials.