A shrimper interest group is suing the Biden administration over a costly new rule that threatens the livelihoods of many Louisiana fisherman, the Louisiana Shrimp Association (LSA) announced Wednesday.
The LSA, in partnership with the conservative Pelican Institute, challenged a requirement by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) that skimmer trawl vessels 40 feet and longer in length use Turtle Excluder Devices (TED). The devices are designed to help sea turtles escape if caught in shrimpers nets.
“The bureaucrats who instituted this rule ignored the economic devastation it will cause to shrimpers,” Pelican Institute founder James Baehr said in a statement. “This unnecessary and unconstitutional rule is a direct attack on Louisiana livelihoods and culture.”
The new rule mandates an expensive new update to shrimpers boats, and one that is, by the data, unnecessary, the…
