Comment from Bernard Bouis

Please extend the geographic scope and time of closure for the Bottom Longline Fishery in the Gulf of Mexico to protect sea turtles from capture and drowning (0648-AX67; NOAA-NMFS-2008-0310). Under no circumstances should this fishery be re-opened until stronger measures to protect sea turtles from drowning on longlines than those proposed in Amendment 31 are implemented. The permanent closure of the fishery should be considered given that hundreds of rare and endangered sea turtles are caught and killed every year by bottom longlines in the Gulf of Mexico, impeding the recovery of declining populations. NOAA scientists agree that the loggerhead population is "in decline and likely to continue to decline," is "experiencing more mortality than it can withstand," and that the predicted continued decline is "largely driven by mortality of juvenile and adult loggerheads from fishery bycatch" (2009 NOAA Biological Opinion). I am concerned that the actions proposed in Amendment 31 to re-open bottom longline fishing in the habitat of Florida loggerhead sea turtles will put this declining population in jeopardy of further losses and possible extinction. Thank you for the opportunity to provide public comment on this proposed rule.