NOAA Fisheries is releasing the follow message in response to the commercial lift boat that capsized off Port Fourchon, LA:
NOAA Fisheries is aware of the capsizing of the commercial lift boat Seacor Power off Port Fourchon, La., and the impact on the families and community. If a commercial otter trawl shrimper in the vicinity of the incident would like to use their vessel to assist in a voluntary recovery effort, they can reconfigure their equipment by removing their Turtle Excluder Devices and replacing their tail bags with a tail bag that has a 4-inch stretch mesh or greater. That way the vessel does not qualify as a commercial shrimp trawler.
Please help us distribute this message broadly and feel free to forward as appropriate. Please feel free to contact our office directly if you have any questions.
We appreciate all that has been done by the US Coast and other partners to support these families.
Thank you,
Andy
Andrew Strelcheck
Acting Regional Administrator, Southeast Regional Office
NOAA Fisheries | U.S. Department of Commerce
Office: (727) 551-5702