Six out of seven species of sea turtles are listed as endangered.

In the US, sea turtle strandings are higher than any previous year on record due to lack of protective action by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS). Approximately 155,000 sea turtles drown in shrimp nets each year, but Turtle Excluder Devices (TEDS) cans save many, if only NMFS would enforce TEDS regulations.

Please use the following letter from REEF RELIEF to formulate your own course of action to protect sea turtles in the US. You can print the letter and fax or mail it with your signature, you can change it to reflect your own thoughts or you can call to voice your opinion. Addresses and phone numbers are below.

The Honorable D. James Baker
Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere
Dept. of Commerce
14th and Constitution, Room 5230
Washington, D.C. 20230
(202) 482-3426 ph. (202) 408-9674 fax

cc: Mr. Rolland A. Schmitten, Director
National Marine Fisheries Service
1315 East-West Highway
Silver Spring, MD 20910
(301)713-2239 ph

In behalf of REEF RELIEF, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the protection of coral reef ecosystems around the world, I would like to express our deep concern over National Marine Fisheries' (NMFS) lack of effective action to protect sea turtles in the United States.

More sea turtles have stranded this year than in any other year on record. Critical areas must be closed to shrimp fishing, enforcement must be increased and improved, the use of soft TEDS should be banned and TEDS should be used on try nets. These crucial steps must be taken to protect sea turtles, including the endangered Kemp's Ridley.

Although NMFS claims a 95% compliance rate, it is clear from the extreme increase in the number of dead turtles during shrimping season, that this is false.

Immediate action must be taken to remedy this disastrous problem. Sea turtles have roamed the Earth's oceans for 150 million years. They have outlived the dinosaurs, but will they outlive us?

Sincerely,

Concerned Citizen