Sea Turtle Welfare: Threats, Bycatch, and Conservation

Sea turtles face threats from bycatch, plastic ingestion, climate change, and habitat loss. This page examines welfare implications and conservation solutions.

Key Facts

All seven sea turtle species are listed as vulnerable, endangered, or critically endangered
Longline fishing bycatch is among the leading causes of sea turtle mortality globally
Plastic ingestion causes intestinal blockages and is found in the majority of stranded sea turtles
Climate change is feminizing sea turtle populations by warming nesting beaches
Sea turtle rehabilitation programs exist globally and achieve meaningful recovery rates for injured individuals

Welfare Considerations

Sea turtles face welfare challenges at every life stage. Bycatch in longline and trawl fisheries causes drowning, hook injuries, and flipper entanglement. Plastic ingestion causes intestinal blockage, malnutrition, and buoyancy problems that prevent diving. Oil spills cause skin and eye irritation, respiratory damage, and hypothermia. Fibropapillomatosis, a disease linked to environmental degradation, causes tumors that impair vision, feeding, and swimming. For individual turtles, these welfare harms are severe and prolonged. Conservation and welfare converge here: protecting sea turtles from bycatch, plastic, and habitat destruction simultaneously addresses population recovery and individual animal suffering.

What You Can Do

Reduce single-use plastic consumption to decrease ocean plastic pollution
Choose seafood certified to avoid sea turtle bycatch where possible
Support sea turtle rehabilitation and nesting beach protection programs
Participate in beach clean-up efforts that remove plastic before it reaches the ocean
Advocate for bycatch reduction measures in fisheries management regulations