Sea turtles have tragically fallen victim to the fishing industry’s relentless exploitation of the world’s oceans, as revealed by a recent study. The study conducted by marine conservationists in the Maldives over a 12-year period showed that discarded fishing gear, notoriously known as “ghost fishing nets,” was responsible for a shocking 66.7% of all turtle injuries or deaths. This sad reality highlights the devastating impacts of overexploitation and pollution on marine megafauna, pushing them closer to extinction.
According to both the United Nations and the World Bank, over 90% of global fish stocks are currently being fully exploited, overexploited, or depleted. The staggering $23.5 billion trade in illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing, as estimated by the UN, has played a significant role in the destruction of sea turtles. These majestic creatures are facing numerous threats primarily due to human activities, including interactions with the fishing industry, overexploitation, and marine pollution.
The study, published in the esteemed journal PLOS ONE, drew on data collected by the Maldives Sea Turtle Conservation Program from 2010 to 2022. During this period, local conservationists documented a total of 379 injured or dead turtles, with more than 75% of these cases attributed to human sources. Among these cases, entanglement in fishing nets or lines resulted in the most common causes of injury or death, accounting for 66.7% or 253 turtles. The wounds observed in the injured turtles included choking, constriction, scarring, and other clear signs of ensnarement. Some turtles were found entangled, while others were discovered floating or beached, showing physical scars resulting from an arduous struggle to escape from discarded netting. These injuries ranged from deep lacerations and traumatic amputations to head injuries and missing shells.
It’s important to note that the situation in the Maldives, where aggressive fishing practices are banned, is unique. The nation’s laws were designed to establish marine sanctuaries, protecting its seas from the brutal consequences of the global fishing industry. However, despite these efforts, it is the remnants of industrial fish-trawling practices, such as discarded gillnets, purse seine nets, longlines, and traps, that continue to cause the most harm to turtles.
Bycatch, the accidental capture of dolphins, turtles, and other marine life during large-scale trawling, is a well-documented cause of morbidity and mortality among marine turtles in many regions. Yet in the Maldives, where such practices are actively outlawed, it is the abandoned remnants of these industrial fishing methods that pose the greatest threat to local turtles. The study’s authors acknowledge that other studies tend to report lower rates of entanglement when investigating causes of sea turtle injuries or deaths.
A recent study published in the journal Science Advances revealed that thousands of square miles of “ghost fish netting” are left adrift in the oceans each year, ensnaring unsuspecting marine life in humanity’s mess. Illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing not only contributes significantly to the destruction of marine ecosystems, according to the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization, but it is also an incredibly profitable trade. Criminal fishing accounts for a staggering 20% of the global fishing catch, making it the third most lucrative natural resource crime after stolen timber and illegal mining. These shocking statistics further emphasize the urgent need for stronger conservation efforts and sustainable fishing practices to protect not only sea turtles but also the overall health of our oceans.
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