Wildlife

Wild Sea Turtle Bycatch in Fisheries

Sea turtles are accidentally caught and drowned in fishing gear worldwide.

Key Facts

Hundreds of thousands of sea turtles are caught in fisheries annually
Longlines, trawls, and gillnets all catch turtles
Turtle Excluder Devices reduce bycatch by up to 97%
All 7 sea turtle species are threatened or endangered

Welfare Considerations

Turtles drowned in nets or hooked on longlines experience prolonged suffering before death. Even turtles that survive entanglement may have swallowed hooks or suffered flipper injuries that impair future survival. Bycatch is one of the leading human-caused threats to already-endangered sea turtle populations.

What You Can Do

Choose seafood certified as turtle-safe by MSC or equivalent
Support mandatory Turtle Excluder Device requirements
Advocate for stronger bycatch reduction regulations
Donate to sea turtle conservation and monitoring programmes