Sea turtles are air-breathing reptiles that drown when entangled in fishing gear, making bycatch one of the most significant sources of turtle welfare harm globally.
Drowning in fishing gear is one of the most welfare-harmful ways a sea turtle can die - entanglement is followed by exhaustion, panic, and progressive hypoxia over minutes to hours. For turtles that survive entanglement, injuries including flipper entrapment leading to amputation and line ingestion cause prolonged suffering. The technology to reduce bycatch exists and is effective: TEDs and circle hooks demonstrably reduce turtle capture rates. The gap between available technology and global adoption is a policy failure with enormous welfare consequences. Consumer-facing seafood certification that requires TED use and circle hook compliance creates market pressure for wider adoption.