2004 NOAA Environmental Hero Awards

Mr. Harry Davis and Mr. Leroy Jones are this year's local recipients of the 2004 NOAA Environmental Hero Awards. They are being recognized by NOAA as individuals who made outstanding contributions in supporting the mission of NOAA Fisheries through protection and preservation of our Nation's living marine resources. Jones and Davis worked independently and in association with NOAA Fisheries since 1992 developing and testing BRDs. After several prototypes and many long hours of testing, Jones and Davis designed and developed the Jones-Davis BRD. The Jones-Davis BRD, as it became known, was one of only two BRDs certified by NOAA Fisheries to accomplish the goal of reducing bycatch by a significant amount while retaining shrimp. Jones and Davis are aware that the viability of the environment they work in depends on good management and efficient use of collection gear. Jones and Davis continue their efforts to improve BRDs and to test prototypes developed by NOAA Fisheries gear specialists and the shrimp industry. They also worked with NOAA Fisheries in testing turtle excluder devices (TEDs) in their efforts to reduce the incidental capture of threatened and endangered sea turtles.

Roger Zimmerman and Harry Davis at the award presentation on 5/25/2004	Roger Zimmerman, Leroy Jones, and Ellizabeth Scott-Denton at the award presentation on 6/2/2004