Wildlife

Sea Turtle Bycatch Reduction

Sea turtles are accidentally caught in fishing gear globally, causing mortality and injury. Proven mitigation measures significantly reduce bycatch when adopted widely.

Key Facts

All seven sea turtle species are listed as threatened or endangered in part due to fisheries bycatch
Turtle Excluder Devices (TEDs) reduce sea turtle bycatch in shrimp trawl fisheries by over 90%
Circle hooks reduce sea turtle bycatch in pelagic longline fisheries compared to J-hooks
Lighting modifications to gillnets reduce sea turtle entanglement by making nets more visible to turtles

Welfare Considerations

Sea turtle bycatch causes preventable injury and death in fishing gear. The welfare harm from entanglement includes drowning, internal injuries, and limb loss. Effective solutions including TEDs, circle hooks, and modified gear designs are proven and available. Regulatory requirements, fisheries certification programs, and consumer pressure for bycatch-reduced seafood drive adoption of these life-saving measures.

What You Can Do

Choose seafood from fisheries certified for low sea turtle bycatch rates
Support regulations requiring TEDs in shrimp trawl fisheries where sea turtles are present
Advocate for circle hook requirements in pelagic longline fisheries operating in turtle habitat
Donate to sea turtle bycatch research and gear innovation programs