Wildlife

Sea Turtle Welfare and Fishing Bycatch

All six species of sea turtle visiting UK waters are endangered or vulnerable. Bycatch in fishing nets and on longlines is the primary cause of sea turtle mortality worldwide.

Key Facts

An estimated 1 million sea turtles are caught as bycatch annually worldwide
Loggerhead turtles are most frequently caught in longline fisheries targeting tuna and swordfish
Turtle excluder devices (TEDs) in trawl nets allow turtles to escape without significantly affecting target catch
UK waters are visited by leatherback turtles tracking jellyfish prey
Plastic bag ingestion causes intestinal blockage and slow death in sea turtles

Welfare Considerations

Sea turtles caught on longlines drown over 30-40 minutes if they cannot surface to breathe. Those caught in trawl nets drown if tow duration exceeds their breath-holding capacity. TEDs dramatically reduce turtle mortality without significant impact on shrimp catch. Mandatory TED requirements in US shrimp fisheries reduced turtle mortality by 97% — a policy success that should be applied globally through trade conditions.

What You Can Do

Support Sea Turtle Conservancy and WWF sea turtle bycatch programmes
Advocate for mandatory TED requirements in all trawl fisheries globally
Avoid single-use plastic bags that contribute to plastic pollution affecting turtles
Engage with UK Government on trade conditions requiring turtle bycatch mitigation
Follow British Divers Marine Life Rescue on UK sea turtle stranding rescue