Sea turtles drown in fishing gear globally, representing one of the most significant bycatch welfare emergencies. Turtle excluder devices and fishing practice changes significantly reduce mortality.
Sea turtle bycatch drowning represents a welfare harm that is both individually severe and preventable at scale. A sea turtle tangled in a gillnet or hooked on a longline experiences drowning — a distressing, oxygen-deprived death over minutes to hours. TEDs and circle hook substitution demonstrate that the technical solutions are available and effective, but their adoption globally depends on fisheries regulation and enforcement that varies enormously between jurisdictions. Where turtles are hauled onto vessels alive, the welfare response during release — removing hooks carefully, holding turtles to allow respiration, and releasing them safely — can make the difference between death and survival. Consumer choice of seafood from certified bycatch-reducing fisheries creates market pressure for wider adoption of turtle-friendly practices.