Shrimp Boats are Killing Turtles

Many boats don't have the proper equipment that is required by law that prevents capture of sea turtles. The poles say 17% of fishing boats checked in Mexico did not have the turtle-excluder. In Mississippi and Florida none of the boats that were checked had the required equipment and in Georgia almost 50% of vessels that were observed also did not have the turtle-excluder. Is it the patrols fault for not enforcing the rules or is it the shrimpers fault for being careless and cheap? Some of the nets were intentionally being blocked to capture the endangered loggerhead or leatherback turtles. They are not positive that the shrimp boats are the cause in the increase of death of turtles but they are almost sure of it. It is estimated that 4,874 loggerhead and 108 leatherbacks were killed by nets just last year. I think every boat should be checked at every stop to make sure that the net is safe and unblocked. This needs to be stopped now. Turtles are important to many ecosystems and we cant let careless fisher men upset the balance of nature.