Wild Sea Turtle Bycatch and Entanglement Welfare

Sea turtles are caught as bycatch in fisheries targeting other species. Entanglement in fishing gear causes drowning, injury, and death for tens of thousands of turtles annually.

Key Facts

All seven sea turtle species are classified as vulnerable, endangered, or critically endangered
Longline fisheries are estimated to capture 200,000 loggerhead and 50,000 leatherback turtles annually as bycatch
Turtles caught on longlines may struggle and drown if they cannot reach the surface to breathe
Ghost fishing — entanglement in lost or abandoned fishing gear — affects turtles long after the original fishing activity has ended
Circle hooks and fish-based bait reduce sea turtle bycatch by 80-90% compared to standard J-hooks with squid bait in some fisheries
Turtle excluder devices (TEDs) in shrimp trawls are mandatory in the US and have dramatically reduced shrimp trawl turtle mortality
Ingestion of plastic debris causes internal injuries and death — plastic pollution is a growing mortality source

Welfare Considerations

Bycatch causes acute and prolonged suffering for sea turtles. Turtles caught on longline hooks may be hooked through the mouth, flipper, or body and may struggle against the line for extended periods. Those unable to surface drown, but the time to death can be prolonged. Turtles dragged in trawls may be crushed or drowned. Ghost gear entanglement causes slow death from drowning, starvation, or infection at entanglement wounds. The suffering experienced by individual sea turtles in these circumstances — animals with lifespans of 80+ years and high cognitive complexity — is significant. Bycatch reduction technologies exist and are cost-effective; the barrier to adoption is primarily economic and regulatory.

What You Can Do

Support fisheries certified by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) with verified bycatch reduction programs
Advocate for mandatory use of circle hooks and turtle-safe bait in longline fisheries in your country
Support turtle excluder device requirements in shrimp trawl fisheries globally
Reduce plastic use and participate in beach and waterway cleanups to reduce ghost gear and plastic hazards for turtles
Support sea turtle rescue and rehabilitation programs in your region
Donate to organizations monitoring sea turtle bycatch and advocating for bycatch reduction such as Oceana
Report entangled or injured sea turtles to local wildlife authorities immediately