Marine Turtle Bycatch in Shrimp Trawling

Shrimp trawl fisheries are responsible for more sea turtle bycatch than any other fishing method, but turtle excluder devices provide an effective, proven solution with minimal impact on shrimp catch.

Key Facts

An estimated 85,000 sea turtles are killed annually in shrimp trawl fisheries worldwide
Turtle excluder devices (TEDs) are required on all US shrimp trawlers and reduce turtle bycatch by over 97%
Countries exporting shrimp to the US must certify that their fisheries use turtle-safe methods
Loggerhead and Kemp ridley sea turtles are most frequently caught in shrimp trawls in the Gulf of Mexico
Trawl duration of more than 30 minutes dramatically increases turtle drowning mortality even with escape hatches

Welfare Considerations

Sea turtles caught in shrimp trawls drown over the course of the tow, which can last 1 to 3 hours. Drowning is a prolonged and distressing death for an air-breathing reptile. Turtle excluder devices — steel grids that deflect turtles through an escape opening — are among the most successful bycatch mitigation technologies ever developed, reducing sea turtle mortality by 97% or more while retaining shrimp in the net. The welfare and conservation case for universal TED adoption is overwhelming. The primary barriers are enforcement and compliance in fisheries outside major markets like the US and EU, and resistance from some fishing communities to the perceived inconvenience of fitting and maintaining the devices.

What You Can Do

Choose sustainably certified shrimp that requires TED use and low turtle bycatch rates
Advocate for your country to require TED use on all shrimp trawl vessels
Support trade policies that require turtle-safe fishing methods as a condition of seafood market access
Engage with seafood retailers about their shrimp sourcing policies and TED requirements
Support sea turtle conservation organizations that work on bycatch reduction and enforcement