Marine Turtle Bycatch: Solutions and Progress

How fisheries bycatch threatens marine turtle populations and what gear modifications are reducing this preventable welfare harm.

Key Facts

Six of seven marine turtle species are listed as threatened or critically endangered, with bycatch as a primary driver
Circle hooks rather than J-hooks reduce sea turtle bycatch in longline fisheries by up to 90%
Turtle Excluder Devices (TEDs) in shrimp trawls are mandatory in the US and have demonstrated major bycatch reductions
LED light arrays on gillnets reduce sea turtle entanglement by providing visual warning of the net
Observer programmes on fishing vessels are essential for accurate bycatch data but are expensive and underfunded

Welfare Considerations

Marine turtle bycatch represents a preventable welfare harm at scale. Turtles entangled in nets or hooked on longlines experience physical injury, panic, and — if they cannot reach the surface to breathe — drowning. Even those released alive often sustain injuries that cause delayed death. The tragedy is that effective solutions exist and have been validated: hook modifications, net illumination, and exclusion devices have all demonstrated significant bycatch reduction. The barrier is adoption — driven by cost, regulatory lag, and the need for observer monitoring to enforce compliance. Fisheries with robust bycatch reduction requirements and enforcement show that protective measures are compatible with commercial viability.

What You Can Do

Choose seafood from MSC-certified fisheries that require bycatch monitoring and reduction measures
Support Sea Turtle Conservancy, Oceana, and WWF campaigns for sea turtle protection in fisheries
Advocate for mandatory circle hook requirements in longline fisheries operating in sea turtle habitat
Support funding for at-sea observer programmes that provide the data needed to enforce bycatch requirements
Participate in beach clean-ups to reduce the additional entanglement threat from marine plastic debris