Judge Stands Firm on Endangered Sea Turtle Ruling

A federal judge has refused to reverse or modify a ruling designed to protect an endangered sea turtle, despite claims by Hawaii’s longline fishermen that the decision will quickly wipe out their industry.

U.S. District Judge David Ezra told the fishermen, who packed his courtroom Tuesday, that he would mediate a plan to allow their industry to co-exist alongside the Pacific leatherback turtle, environmentalists and government agencies.

The Hawaii Longline Assn. had asked Ezra to modify his June 23 ruling that reduced by 95% the number of fishing days, limited the area in which the fleet could fish and required every boat to have a federal observer on board.

The fishermen say the ruling will kill the industry because there are only two or three trained observers in the state.

Ezra’s ruling will take effect Sunday. It will remain in force until the National Marine Fisheries Service completes an environmental impact statement on the effect longline fishing has on the turtles. The agency estimates that the ruling would cost the 115-boat fleet $44.3 million in lost revenue this year.

The nonprofit Hawaii Longline Assn. estimates the industry pumps $165 million into the state’s economy and the association’s president, Sean Martin, applauded Ezra’s promise to mediate a plan.

Earthjustice Legal Defense Fund, which brought the case to federal court in early 1999 on behalf of the Center for Marine Conservation and the Turtle Island Restoration Network, said the restrictions are necessary to protect the endangered Pacific leatherback turtle from accidentally becoming hooked.

“We want the maximum protection we can possibly get,” said Earthjustice attorney Paul Achitoff after the ruling.