The Turtle Excluder Device (TED): A guide to better performance

Since the turtle excluder device, or TED, was first introduced to the U.S. shrimp fishery in the late 1980's, research and development to improve TED performance has continued. Using SCUBA divers and video cameras attached to shrimp trawls under actual working conditions, NMFS gear researchers working with shrimp fishermen and net shops have made improvements to the hard or rigidstyle TED system, improving performance for both turtle exclusion and shrimp retention (Figure 1). Shrimp fishermen throughout the Southeastern U.S. have contributed to improvements in TED design and techniques for handling TEDs at sea. The following information summarizes the latest advances in TED technology. Special emphasis is placed on methods of improving TED performance for shrimp retention. Where necessary, TED regulations are summarized for the particular topic being discussed.