Sea Turtle Welfare: Nesting Beach Protection

Sea turtles face welfare threats from plastic ingestion, bycatch in fishing gear, beach development, and climate change affecting nesting site temperatures, with conservation efforts focused on nesting beaches worldwide.

Key Facts

Six of the seven sea turtle species are classified as Threatened or Endangered on the IUCN Red List
An estimated 250,000 sea turtles are accidentally caught in fishing gear annually
Sea turtles can mistake plastic bags for jellyfish, their natural prey, leading to intestinal blockage and starvation
Rising sand temperatures from climate change are feminising sea turtle populations, as nest temperature determines sex
Loggerhead turtles can migrate over 12,000 km between feeding and nesting grounds

Welfare Considerations

Sea turtle welfare is affected throughout their life cycle. Hatchlings face disorientation from beach lighting and predation during the dash to the sea. Juvenile and adult turtles become entangled in fishing nets, experiencing drowning, injury, and exhaustion. Plastic ingestion causes intestinal obstruction that leads to prolonged starvation and buoyancy problems preventing normal diving. Fibropapillomatosis, a disease associated with degraded coastal waters, causes debilitating tumours on eyes and flippers in affected populations.

What You Can Do

Support Sea Turtle Conservancy monitoring and beach protection programmes in nesting areas
Choose seafood certified by the Marine Stewardship Council which requires bycatch reduction measures
Reduce plastic waste and participate in beach clean-ups near sea turtle nesting beaches
Avoid beach lighting during sea turtle nesting season if living near nesting beaches (June-October in many locations)