Wildlife

Wild Loggerhead Sea Turtle Bycatch Welfare

Loggerhead sea turtles are caught and killed as bycatch in commercial fishing operations worldwide, causing preventable suffering and population decline.

Key Facts

An estimated 85,000 loggerheads are caught annually as bycatch in trawl fisheries
Turtle Excluder Devices reduce bycatch by 97 percent in shrimp trawls
Long-line fisheries using circle hooks and fish bait dramatically reduce turtle bycatch
Loggerheads are listed as Vulnerable globally and Endangered in the Mediterranean
NOAA requires TEDs on US shrimp trawlers but enforcement is inconsistent

Welfare Considerations

Loggerheads caught in trawl nets and longlines drown or suffer serious internal injuries from hook ingestion. Even if released alive, turtles with longline hook injuries often die from infection or internal damage. Technology to reduce bycatch is available and cost-effective, making ongoing high bycatch rates an unjustified welfare failure.

What You Can Do

Choose seafood certified to minimize bycatch including sea turtles
Support mandatory TED requirements and their enforcement in all trawl fisheries
Advocate for circle hook requirements in longline fisheries
Donate to sea turtle rehabilitation programs
Learn about bycatch and share information about mitigation options