Wild Animals

Wild Marine Turtle Longline Bycatch

Sea turtles caught as longline bycatch experience drowning or barotrauma that represents a significant source of preventable welfare harm.

Key Facts

Longline fisheries catch an estimated 200,000 sea turtles annually worldwide
Circle hooks reduce sea turtle capture by 80-90% compared to J-hooks
Baited hooks can cause internal injuries before turtles are brought aboard
Bycatch reduction programs in US pelagic fisheries have significantly reduced turtle captures

Welfare Considerations

Sea turtles caught on longline hooks drown while entangled or suffer internal injuries from the hook. Even when brought aboard alive, handling stress and internal trauma cause delayed mortality after release. Bycatch prevention through circle hooks and careful handling saves thousands of individual turtles from this suffering.

What You Can Do

Choose longline-caught seafood certified with turtle-safe fishing requirements
Support international adoption of circle hook requirements in pelagic fisheries
Donate to organizations working on turtle bycatch monitoring and reduction
Advocate for by-catch reporting requirements as a foundation for reduction programs