Turtles

Range and fishery interactions

• Leatherbacks roam across the Pacific, from tropical nesting beaches (Indonesia, PNG, Solomon Islands) to temperate feeding grounds (e.g. California Current). This extensive range means they can encounter fishing gear in many jurisdictions.
• Main interactions are with deep-set longlines targeting tuna. Although encounter rates are low (on the order of a few per thousand hooks, the vast fishing effort means total bycatch is significant. A recent estimate was ~250 interactions per year in WCPO longlines, causing on the order of 90 mortalities annually.
• Leatherbacks can also become entangled in purse seine gear or FADs. Such events are less common but do occur, particularly in equatorial areas. Purse seine crews are required to halt net hauling if a turtle is sighted and disentangle it safely.

Effective bycatch mitigation for fleets

• Use only circle hooks and fish bait in any shallow (<100 m) sets. Studies have shown large circle hooks dramatically reduce sea turtle hookings without reducing target catch, and switching from squid to fish bait further lowers turtle risk.
• Carry turtle release tools at all times. Longline vessels should have long-handled cutters and de-hookers ready. Crew should be trained to handle large turtles: if the turtle is too heavy to bring aboard, cut the line as close to the hook as possible while the turtle is alongside, rather than attempting to winch it up.
• Do not gaff or lift leatherbacks by the flippers or head. Instead, if bringing a turtle on deck (for smaller individuals), use a wide sling or dip net under the body. Once on deck, keep the turtle moist and quickly remove the hook (or tip of the hook) with minimum injury.
• Avoid key areas when possible. If fishers are aware of regions or seasons with high leatherback presence (e.g. near certain nesting or foraging areas), they can minimize effort there. Some fleets voluntarily move away if multiple turtle interactions occur in a short period.

Monitoring priorities

• Increase observer coverage in longline fleets to improve bycatch estimates. Leatherback interactions are rare events, so higher coverage (or use of electronic monitoring) is needed to reliably detect and measure bycatch rates.
• Satellite tagging and post-release studies to understand survival. Attaching satellite tags to incidentally caught leatherbacks upon release can reveal whether they survive and resume normal behavior, informing how effective “safe release” practices are.
• Collect tissue samples or use photo identification for population tracing. Determining which nesting populations bycaught turtles come from (via genetic samples or tag returns) helps managers identify which rookeries are most impacted by fisheries.

Range and interactions

• North Pacific loggerheads hatch on beaches in Japan and travel thousands of kilometers to the North Pacific Ocean off North America (e.g. Baja California) to feed. In these pelagic juvenile stages, they often occupy subtropical convergence zones where prey is abundant – unfortunately, these are also areas used by longline fisheries.
• The highest interaction risk is in subtropical shallow-set longline fisheries targeting swordfish (historically Japan, USA, Taiwan and others). Loggerheads tend to bite baited hooks near the surface. Before mitigation, fleets like Hawaii’s shallow-set fishery had significant loggerhead bycatch; now with 100% observer coverage and required circle hooks/finfish bait, average interactions have dropped sharply.
• Purse seine interactions with loggerheads are relatively rare (loggerheads are less prone to FAD entanglement than olive ridleys, for example). Nonetheless, any loggerhead encountered in a net must be released unharmed. Coastal gillnet and trawl fisheries (outside WCPFC mandate) are also a concern for this species’ survival, though those are managed by domestic regulations.

Effective actions for fleets

• Use the largest circle hooks feasible (e.g. 18/0 or 20/0) with ≤10° offset. These dramatically reduce deep hooking in turtles. In addition, use only fish for bait – e.g. mackerel – instead of squid. This combination has been proven in multiple oceans to cut turtle bycatch while maintaining catch of swordfish and tuna.
• Implement smart fishing practices: if many turtles are encountered in an area or season, consider moving operations to a different area or delaying fishing, rather than continuing to interact with turtles. WCPFC members are encouraged to avoid known turtle hotspots during peak seasons.
• Handle hooked turtles gently: when a loggerhead is on the line, stop the gear haul and bring the turtle alongside the vessel. Use a dip net or lift it by its shell (supporting its weight) if size allows. Remove the hook with a de-hooker if it’s in the mouth, or cut the line as close as possible if the hook is swallowed. Release the turtle head-first back into the water once it’s vigorous.

Monitoring and research

• Continue to monitor nesting beach trends in Japan and elsewhere. Nest counts are a primary indicator of loggerhead population health and will reflect the long-term success of bycatch mitigation.
• Observer coverage and electronic monitoring in longline fleets should remain high, especially in known loggerhead areas (e.g. 100% coverage in the Hawaii shallow-set fishery provides invaluable data on interaction rates and turtle condition on release).
• Investigate post-release fate: even after safe release, some turtles may experience injury or stress. Tagging released loggerheads with satellite or archival tags can inform post-release survival rates and any delayed mortality, helping to refine handling protocols.

Interactions and risk

• Olive ridleys inhabit tropical and subtropical waters. They are more commonly found in the equatorial Pacific, often far from land except during nesting season. This oceanic lifestyle means they encounter fishery gear primarily in purse seine FAD sets and occasionally shallow longlines.
• Purse seine FAD sets historically had the highest olive ridley mortality due to entanglement in old-style FADs (which often had open net webbing underneath). Many such entanglements go unseen unless an observer or camera is present. The move to fully non-entangling FADs (using sheets or cords that minimize loops) is expected to greatly reduce this source of mortality.
• Longline bycatch of olive ridleys does occur, with turtles usually hooked in shallow sets. Olive ridleys can dive, but they often feed near the surface on jellyfish and floating prey, which is why baited hooks near the surface pose a risk.

Effective actions

• Use non-entangling FAD designs and regularly remove any entangling debris. This includes avoiding any loose netting on FADs – WCPFC regulations now prohibit mesh net tails on FADs precisely to protect turtles and sharks.
• Train purse seine crews on turtle release: when brailing the catch, be vigilant for any turtles and release them before they go into the power block or brail. If an olive ridley is brought on deck, lift it with a net or by the shell, not by the flippers, and release it promptly.
• For longliners, apply the same mitigation as for other turtles: circle hooks, fish bait, and diligent watching of lines. If an olive ridley is hooked, bring it alongside and cut the line near the hook or remove the hook if easily accessible. Because olive ridleys are smaller, crew sometimes can bring them aboard to remove hooks more gently.

Data and monitoring needs

• Better data on olive ridley bycatch in coastal artisanal fisheries of the Pacific Islands and Southeast Asia, which are not well reported but may impact local populations.
• Dedicated studies on olive ridley movements in the WCPO. Tagging studies could reveal if there are specific high-use areas (for foraging or migration) that overlap with tuna fisheries, which could inform spatial mitigation (e.g. seasonal advisories or closures).
• Monitoring of FAD entanglement rates through both observer programs and emerging technologies (e.g. fishery-driven FAD monitoring or acoustic sensors) to ensure entanglement prevention measures are working.

Fishery profile

• Greens are herbivorous and spend much of their life in shallow coastal areas. Hatchlings and small juveniles, however, are pelagic drifters for several years (the "lost years"), during which they can end up in the open ocean and potentially interact with tuna fisheries. These young turtles often travel with currents and may associate with flotsam lines or convergence zones where food (like barnacles or small invertebrates) accumulates.
• Recorded green turtle bycatch in WCPO fisheries is very low. When it happens, it’s often a juvenile or sub-adult hooked in a longline closer to coastal regions or on a drifting FAD in a purse seine. Given their rarity in these fisheries, each interaction tends to be reported individually in national reports.
• The greater threat to green turtles in the Pacific comes from outside the WCPFC pelagic fisheries: coastal netting, directed take, boat strikes, and climate impacts on nesting beaches. Nonetheless, the Commission’s bycatch measures serve as an added safety net when greens do appear in pelagic gear.

Effective actions

• Ensure all fishing captains and crew can identify green turtles (versus other species) and are aware they must be released unharmed. Misidentification is not a major issue (greens have a distinct appearance), but proper species ID helps in tracking population impacts.
• Follow the standard handling guidelines meticulously: for example, if a green turtle is comatose or inactive when brought alongside, bring it aboard carefully and attempt to resuscitate it (e.g. keep it upright and moist, let it recover strength). Do not simply discard an unconscious turtle – revival techniques have saved many turtles.
• Report every interaction through the required channels. Because greens are infrequent bycatch in WCPO fisheries, a comprehensive record (even of single turtle incidents) is important to detect any change in frequency over time. This reporting also helps identify if certain areas see repeated interactions that might warrant attention.

Research needs

• Genetic sampling of bycaught green turtles to link them to nesting populations. This can clarify which rookeries (e.g. Great Barrier Reef, Micronesia, etc.) might be contributing juveniles to pelagic zones and facing risks.
• Climate change impact studies on green turtle sex ratios and distribution – as warming could alter hatchling survival and could push more juveniles into pelagic habitats, potentially changing future interaction patterns with fisheries.

Profile

• Hawksbills feed on coral reef sponges and are typically found in shallow coastal waters. Juveniles may drift in the pelagic environment for a short phase after hatching, but they soon recruit to reef habitats. Thus, the likelihood of encountering a hawksbill in the open ocean tuna fisheries is extremely low compared to other turtles.
• On the rare occasion a hawksbill is encountered by a WCPO fishery (for example, a small juvenile under a FAD), it is a critically important individual for the species. Survival of every hawksbill matters for population recovery, so handling must be impeccable. The same WCPFC guidelines for safe release apply: don’t injure the carapace or flippers, and if the turtle appears weak, allow time for recovery before release.

Effective actions

• Support broader conservation initiatives. Though beyond WCPFC’s direct mandate, members can aid hawksbill recovery by supporting habitat protection and national laws that eliminate hawksbill harvesting and trade. Healthy coastal populations reduce the chance that the only encounter with a hawksbill is in a fishing context.
• Maintain non-entangling FAD practices, as hawksbills, especially juveniles, could get entangled in nearshore FADs or debris. Quick reporting and removal of any derelict fishing gear in coastal areas can prevent hawksbill injuries.
• Educate crews that hawksbills (with their beautiful shell) are legally protected – any intentional harm or retention is strictly prohibited. While this may seem obvious, it is important for crew from all cultural backgrounds to understand the importance of releasing even a rare, valuable-looking turtle.

Monitoring

• Record any hawksbill interactions in detail. If a hawksbill is caught, data such as size, photo identification, and genetic sample (if possible) should be collected, as encounters are so infrequent that each provides valuable scientific information.
• Coordinate data with other ocean regions. Hawksbills in the WCPO could potentially originate from populations in the Coral Triangle or elsewhere. Sharing any bycatch records with Indian Ocean and Southeast Asian conservation bodies helps build a complete picture of hawksbill movements and threats.