Marine Turtle Bycatch Reduction Technology

Technology innovations are enabling significant reductions in sea turtle bycatch across different fishing gear types and regions.

Key Facts

Turtle Excluder Devices (TEDs) have prevented millions of turtle deaths since mandatory US adoption
Circle hooks reduce loggerhead and leatherback bycatch in longline fisheries by 80-90%
Mackerel bait is less attractive to sea turtles than squid bait reducing incidental capture
UV lights on nets at night reduce sea turtle bycatch without affecting fish catch
Acoustic pingers alert dolphins and porpoises but not sea turtles
Longline innovations including hook position depth can reduce bycatch of specific species
Satellite tracking of turtle movements informs time-area closures during critical periods
Bycatch observer programs provide data essential for developing evidence-based solutions

Welfare Considerations

Sea turtles that escape fishing gear after being caught often survive but may carry hooks, suffer from hypoxia after extended submersion, or have injuries from gear contact that cause slow death after apparent release. Turtles that survive gear encounters experience significant distress during capture and may have lasting injuries. Technology that prevents turtle encounters with gear altogether eliminates both the immediate welfare harm of capture and the delayed mortality from injuries. The most effective solutions combine gear modification with time-area management based on turtle movement data - preventing encounters rather than managing them after they occur.

What You Can Do

Support mandatory bycatch reduction device requirements in all relevant fisheries
Choose seafood certified by programs requiring bycatch reduction measures
Advocate for turtle bycatch monitoring and observer programs in global fisheries
Support sea turtle satellite tracking programs that inform time-area closures
Donate to sea turtle conservation programs developing and implementing bycatch reduction