Sea Turtle Conservation and Bycatch Welfare

Sea turtles are ancient marigratory animals facing multiple human-caused threats. Bycatch in fishing gear is a leading cause of death, causing both conservation and welfare harm.

Key Facts

All seven sea turtle species are threatened with extinction to varying degrees
Approximately 250,000 loggerhead and leatherhead turtles are caught as bycatch in longline fisheries annually
Turtles caught in nets can drown within minutes if unable to surface for air
Turtle Excluder Devices (TEDs) in shrimp trawls can reduce sea turtle bycatch by up to 97%
Nesting beach protection is essential — artificial lighting disorients hatchlings and temperature affects sex ratios
Climate change is feminising sea turtle populations as warmer beach temperatures produce more females

Welfare Considerations

Sea turtle bycatch combines conservation catastrophe with acute individual welfare harm. A turtle caught in a longline or trawl and unable to surface faces oxygen deprivation, physical injury from hooks or net entanglement, and prolonged struggling before death or release. Even turtles released alive from fishing gear may carry injuries that cause slow deaths after release. TEDs are the most cost-effective bycatch reduction tool — proven to reduce turtle mortality by 97% with minimal impact on shrimp catch. Their use should be mandatory in all trawl fisheries globally.

What You Can Do

Choose MSC-certified seafood from fisheries with verified low turtle bycatch rates
Support legislation mandating TED use in all shrimp trawl fisheries globally
Donate to sea turtle conservation organisations that combine nesting beach protection with bycatch advocacy
Turn off or redirect artificial lighting near sea turtle nesting beaches at night
Participate in beach monitoring and nest protection programmes if you live near nesting habitat