The worldwide decline in leatherback turtles has been caused, in part, by bycatch in fisheries. Leatherback turtles most often entangled or hooked externally in pelagic longline fisheries (Garrison 2003), but are capable of swimming to the surface to breathe (Witzell and Cramer 1995). Although not all incidental captures lead to mortality, the number of leatherbacks […]
July 2022
What is Bycatch? | Consortium for Wildlife Bycatch Reduction
The incidental capture and mortality of non-target marine animals during fishing is known as bycatch, and is one of the principal threats to marine biodiversity worldwide. Why Does Bycatch Occur? Much of the fishing industry targets specific species for capture. Unfortunately, other animals become hooked or trapped when attracted to the bait or target catch, or are […]