Marine Animals

Pelagic Longline Bycatch Welfare

Pelagic longlines targeting tuna and swordfish kill millions of non-target animals annually including sea turtles, sharks, and seabirds.

Key Facts

Pelagic longlines can extend 100 kilometers with thousands of baited hooks
Sea turtles, sharks, and seabirds are commonly caught as bycatch
Non-target animals caught on longlines experience prolonged suffering before death or discard
Circle hooks reduce sea turtle bycatch by up to 90% compared to J-hooks

Welfare Considerations

Non-target animals caught on longlines experience fear, pain, and often prolonged death from drowning, exhaustion, or decompression. Sea turtles that drown in longlines may struggle for hours before dying. Seabirds that dive for bait hooks and drown are experiencing preventable deaths. Available bycatch reduction technologies like circle hooks and bird-scaring lines can dramatically reduce this suffering.

What You Can Do

Choose tuna certified by methods with low bycatch rates
Advocate for mandatory circle hook use in longline fisheries
Support seabird bycatch reduction programs in longline fleets
Reduce tuna consumption or choose pole-and-line caught alternatives