Sea Turtle Bycatch Reduction Technology

Bycatch of sea turtles in fishing gear is a leading cause of mortality worldwide, driving innovation in gear modification.

Key Facts

All seven sea turtle species are threatened or endangered in part due to bycatch
Longline fisheries in the Pacific kill an estimated 200,000 loggerhead and leatherhead turtles annually
Turtle Excluder Devices allow turtles to escape shrimp trawls while retaining catch
Circle hooks in longline fisheries dramatically reduce sea turtle capture compared to J-hooks
LED lights on gillnets reduce green turtle bycatch by over 60% in some trials

Welfare Considerations

Sea turtles caught in fishing gear experience significant suffering — drowning in nets, hook ingestion causing internal injury, and physical trauma from entanglement. Turtles that survive long enough to be brought on deck may still die from injuries or aspiration. Technology-based solutions like TEDs, circle hooks, and LED lights can dramatically reduce both the number of turtles caught and the severity of injuries when capture occurs. These solutions are available, often cost-neutral or cost-effective, and their adoption should be mandatory rather than voluntary in fisheries operating in turtle habitat.

What You Can Do

Choose seafood from fisheries certified for low bycatch and turtle-safe gear
Advocate for mandatory circle hook and LED gillnet requirements in commercial fisheries
Support organizations monitoring and documenting sea turtle bycatch rates
Donate to sea turtle conservation and bycatch reduction research programs
Reduce overall seafood consumption to decrease pressure on turtle-inhabited waters