Sea turtle bycatch in fishing gear is one of the leading causes of sea turtle mortality globally, causing drowning, injury, and death for all seven sea turtle species.
Sea turtle bycatch causes significant suffering before death. Turtles entangled in trawl nets or longlines struggle, sustain injuries from hooks and line, and experience hypoxic stress as they cannot surface to breathe. Extended entanglement leads to drowning. Turtles that survive capture and release often suffer from barotrauma, hook injuries, and post-release debilitation syndrome. The suffering involved in these captures — prolonged struggling, oxygen deprivation, and injury — represents a major welfare concern across hundreds of thousands of animals annually. Technological solutions like TEDs and circle hooks are proven effective, meaning this welfare crisis is largely preventable through policy and industry adoption.