Wildlife

Sea Turtle Bycatch: Reducing Accidental Capture

Sea turtles are frequently caught and killed unintentionally in fishing gear around the world. Bycatch is one of the most significant threats to all seven sea turtle species.

Key Facts

All seven sea turtle species are listed as threatened or endangered
Longline fishing is estimated to catch over 200,000 sea turtles annually
Trawl nets capture loggerheads and Kemps ridleys in high numbers
Turtle Excluder Devices (TEDs) reduce bycatch by over 97% in some fisheries
Sea turtles take 20-30 years to reach reproductive age, making population recovery slow

Welfare Considerations

Caught sea turtles may drown in nets or on longlines. Even if released alive, they may suffer injuries from hooks, entanglement trauma, or internal damage from ingested gear. Barotrauma from rapid depth changes is also a concern for turtles caught in deep-water gear. Survivors of bycatch events may have reduced survival probability due to injuries, stress-induced immune suppression, and disrupted migration.

What You Can Do

Choose seafood certified by the Marine Stewardship Council
Support fisheries that use Turtle Excluder Devices and circle hooks
Donate to sea turtle conservation and stranding response organisations
Advocate for stricter bycatch regulations in your country
Reduce plastic waste to prevent turtle entanglement and ingestion