Wildlife

Sea Turtle Bycatch and Welfare in Fisheries

Sea turtles are frequently captured as bycatch in longline, trawl, and gillnet fisheries, causing significant individual suffering and contributing to population decline.

Key Facts

An estimated 250,000 sea turtles are captured annually as fisheries bycatch
Six of seven sea turtle species are listed as threatened or endangered
Longline fisheries targeting tuna and swordfish accidentally hook sea turtles on baited hooks
Trawl fisheries capture turtles and can cause drowning if tow duration is long
Circle hooks and de-hooking tools can significantly reduce turtle bycatch and mortality

Welfare Considerations

Sea turtles hooked on longlines or entangled in nets experience panic, exhaustion, and physical injury. Turtles that drown in trawls die slowly from asphyxiation. Those that survive capture may have hook-related injuries that impair future feeding ability. Turtle excluder devices in trawls and circle hooks in longlines are proven welfare and conservation interventions that reduce bycatch mortality significantly.

What You Can Do

Choose MSC-certified seafood from fisheries with low turtle bycatch rates
Support Sea Turtle Conservancy and other organisations monitoring bycatch impacts
Advocate for mandatory turtle excluder devices in trawl fisheries operating in turtle habitat
Support international agreements requiring circle hooks in longline fisheries
Donate to organisations providing training in bycatch reduction to fishing communities