All seven sea turtle species are threatened or endangered, and bycatch in fishing gear remains among the most serious welfare and conservation threats they face.
Sea turtle bycatch represents both a welfare and conservation crisis. Death by drowning in fishing nets is not instantaneous — turtles struggle against entanglement for many minutes before losing consciousness. Ghost gear continues killing long after fishing operations have ended. Rehabilitation of sea turtles is intensive, expensive, and often successful — demonstrating that individual animal welfare and conservation can align. Turtle Excluder Devices work and are mandatory in some fisheries but not globally enforced. Consumer choices around seafood sourcing and advocacy for stronger fishing gear regulations are both powerful levers for change.