Wildlife Welfare

Marine Turtle Bycatch Reduction Technology

Sea turtles are accidentally caught in longlines, gillnets and trawls worldwide, causing injury and death, but technological solutions including TEDs and circle hooks are proving effective.

Key Facts

All sea turtle species are threatened or endangered, and bycatch is a major mortality source
Turtle Excluder Devices (TEDs) in trawl nets allow turtles to escape through trapdoors
Circle hooks reduce sea turtle bycatch in longline fisheries by 80-90% versus J-hooks
Illuminating gillnets with LEDs has shown promise in reducing turtle entanglement
Bycatch monitoring and observer programmes are essential for tracking progress

Welfare Considerations

Sea turtles caught in fishing gear experience drowning, exhaustion, hook injuries and entanglement-related trauma. Many die; survivors may have injuries affecting feeding and reproduction. Bycatch reduction technology has advanced significantly, and where adopted, dramatically reduces turtle mortality. Regulatory mandates for TEDs and alternative hooks have proven more effective than voluntary uptake.

What You Can Do

Support seafood from fisheries certified for bycatch-reduction standards
Advocate for mandatory TED and circle hook requirements in relevant fisheries
Support sea turtle research and rehabilitation programmes