Bycatch — the unintended capture of non-target species in fishing gear — kills or injures millions of seabirds, turtles, dolphins and fish annually. Reducing bycatch protects marine animal welfare at scale.
Marine bycatch causes suffering at a scale that rivals or exceeds most other wildlife welfare issues — tens of millions of animals caught, injured, drowned or killed annually as a consequence of fishing for target species. For air-breathing animals like dolphins, turtles and seabirds, capture in nets or on longlines causes drowning — a prolonged and distressing death. For fish bycatch, the welfare significance is compounded by the sheer numbers involved. The welfare and conservation cases for bycatch reduction align strongly, and solutions are available: gear modifications, acoustic deterrents, time-area closures and observer programmes all reduce bycatch. Consumer choices for certified sustainable seafood create market incentives for adoption of these measures.