Loggerhead sea turtles are the most abundant sea turtle species but face severe bycatch mortality in longline and trawl fisheries across the Mediterranean and Atlantic, causing significant individual suffering.
Loggerhead bycatch welfare is a solvable problem. The technology to dramatically reduce it exists: circle hooks, fish bait rather than squid bait, and bycatch excluder devices all have documented effectiveness. The challenge is adoption across the many fisheries and nations that loggerheads encounter during their migrations. Each drowned loggerhead experiences acute fear and physical struggle during entanglement before suffocation. Time-to-death can be prolonged. Implementing bycatch reduction measures across Mediterranean longline fleets would prevent thousands of welfare harms annually at relatively low cost. Consumer choices about Mediterranean seafood and advocacy for fisheries reform are the most effective levers available.