Marine Animals

Marine Turtle Bycatch Welfare

Sea turtles drowned in fishing gear represent a significant welfare problem; turtle excluder devices and circle hooks dramatically reduce mortality.

Key Facts

An estimated 250,000 sea turtles are caught as bycatch annually
Drowning in gillnets and longlines is the leading anthropogenic sea turtle mortality cause
Turtle Excluder Devices (TEDs) in trawl nets reduce turtle bycatch by over 90%
Circle hooks instead of J-hooks reduce longline turtle bycatch significantly
Post-interaction mortality can occur even in turtles that appear alive after capture

Welfare Considerations

Sea turtles drowned in fishing gear experience a prolonged death by suffocation that causes significant suffering. Turtles that survive capture may have ingested hooks or suffered internal injuries that cause delayed mortality. Welfare-conscious fishing uses TEDs and circle hooks that dramatically reduce both bycatch rates and the welfare costs imposed on captured animals.

What You Can Do

Choose seafood from fisheries using turtle excluder devices
Support organisations monitoring and reducing sea turtle bycatch
Advocate for mandatory TED use in relevant fisheries globally
Donate to sea turtle bycatch research and advocacy
Support fisheries management that includes turtle welfare criteria