Sea Turtle Conservation: Nesting, Bycatch, and Recovery

All seven sea turtle species are threatened or endangered. Conservation efforts addressing bycatch, nesting beach protection, and plastic pollution have driven partial recovery for some populations.

Key Facts

All seven sea turtle species are protected under CITES Appendix I, prohibiting international commercial trade.
An estimated 250,000 sea turtles are accidentally caught in fishing gear annually.
Female sea turtles return to their natal beach to lay eggs, making nesting site protection critical for population recovery.
Light pollution disrupts hatchling orientation — turtles evolved to navigate toward the brightest horizon (the sea) and city lights disorient them.
Leatherback turtles can mistake plastic bags for jellyfish, their primary prey.

Welfare Considerations

Sea turtles caught in fishing gear as bycatch drown when unable to surface for air, or survive with injuries from hooks, line cuts, and handling. Hatchlings disoriented by artificial lighting crawl toward land rather than sea, facing exhaustion, predation, and vehicle strikes. Plastic ingestion causes digestive blockage and malnutrition. Nesting females disturbed by beach lighting and human activity during egg-laying may abandon nesting attempts after extreme effort. The welfare and conservation case for protecting sea turtles at every life stage is well-established and supported by considerable public affection for these charismatic species.

What You Can Do

Use sea turtle-safe fishing gear if you participate in recreational fishing.
Reduce single-use plastic to decrease ocean plastic available to turtles.
Support beach lighting ordinances protecting sea turtle nesting in coastal communities.
Donate to Sea Turtle Conservancy and similar organizations.
Choose seafood certified by fisheries with documented bycatch mitigation for sea turtles.