…to Authorize Green-stick and Harpoon Gear in the Atlantic Tunas Fishery and to Require a Sea Turtle Control Device in Pelagic and Bottom Longline Fisheries.

Just one proposed rule for all that?

This all sounded ok until the curious addition of the “Bottom Longline fishery” to some rules regarding Atlantic Tunas and Pelagic fisheries.

What exactly is this “turtle control device” and just how is it deployed on a typical bottom longline? What bottom longline fisheries do they have in mind?

“The comment period for this proposed rule is open until June 16, 2008. Written comments may be submitted to the address below and electronic comments may be submitted via the Federal eRulemaking Portal http://www.regulations.gov (please identify your comments with “0648-AV92.” Public hearings will be held at the following times and locations:

1 May 27, 2008, 6 -8 p.m., National Marine Fisheries Service Southeast Regional Office, 263 13th Avenue South, Saint Petersburg, FL 33701
2 May 29, 2008, 7 -9 p.m., Roanoke Island Festival Park, 1 Festival Park, Manteo, NC 27954
3 June 2, 2008, 6 -8 p.m., Ocean County Library, Stafford Branch, 129 N. Main Street, Manahawkin, NJ 08050
4 June 4, 2008, 3:30 -5:30 p.m., National Marine Fisheries Service Northeast Regional Office, 1 Blackburn Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930
5 June 4, 2008, 6 -8 p.m., Plaquemines Parish Government Community Center, Belle Chasse Auditorium, 8398 Hwy. 23, Belle Chasse, LA 70037
6 June 12, 2008, 7 -9 p.m., Renaissance Orlando Hotel Airport, 5445 Forbes Place, Orlando, FL 32812”

Full text of the bulletin is here in .pdf format.