Regulatory OverviewThe green turtle

Regulatory Overview
The green turtle was listed under the ESA on July 28, 1978. The breeding populations in Florida and the Pacific coast of Mexico are listed as endangered; elsewhere the species is listed as threatened.
In 1992, we finalized regulations to require turtle excluder devices (TEDs) in shrimp trawl fisheries to reduce interactions between turtles and trawl gear. Since then, we have modified these regulations as new information became available on increasing the efficiency of TEDs (for example, larger TEDs are now required to exclude larger turtles).
In 1998, we designated critical habitat for green turtles to include the coastal waters around Culebra Island, Puerto Rico.
We implement measures to reduce sea turtle interactions in fisheries by regulations and permits under the ESA and Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. Since the early 1990s, we have implemented sea turtle conservation measures including, but not limited to, TEDs in trawl fisheries, large circle hooks in longline fisheries, time and area closures for gillnets, and modifications to pound net leaders. Click here for a list of our regulations to protect marine turtles.