Shrimp trawling is one of the leading causes of sea turtle mortality globally, yet a simple device has been available for decades that reduces turtle bycatch by over 90 percent.
Sea turtles caught in shrimp trawls drown when they cannot surface to breathe, typically within minutes to hours depending on water temperature and oxygen level. The welfare harm is acute, and the preventive solution is proven: turtle excluder devices that allow turtles to escape from the trawl net have been technically available since the 1980s and are highly effective. Countries and fisheries that have failed to implement TED requirements are allowing preventable turtle deaths to continue for economic reasons. Consumer pressure on shrimp importers and retailers to verify that their supply chains use TED-equipped vessels is a direct welfare intervention that reduces individual turtle deaths.