Six of the seven species of sea turtles are listed as endangered or threatened by the U. S. Endangered Species Act and in various international treaties. As shrimp nets drag through the water, they capture sea turtles and tons of unwanted fish along with the shrimp. If the turtles can't escape, they may drown. A metal grid sewn into the net can avoid most of these turtle deaths and also reduce bycatch of other species. Known as a Turtle Excluder Device, or TED, the grid guides turtles to a hole in the net.
Shrimp pass through the grid and into the back of the net.
TEDs are required by law in the United States, but some fishermen sew closed the trap door that lets the turtles escape and others may install the devices incorrectly. More than 3,400 dead turtles washed ashore in the United States between January 1994 and July 1995. The Turtle-Safe label lets consumers know for the first time which shrimp were caught using methods that protect turtles. The label goes on shrimp caught by fishermen who sign an agreement with Earth Island Institute stipulating that they will use TEDs properly and allow monitoring by Turtle-Safe program observers. Fishermen, dock owners, processors, and others in the distribution network can participate by signing agreements to identify shrimp as Turtle-Safe and keep it separate from other shrimp.