Modeling juvenile sea turtle bycatch risk in commercial and recreational fisheries

Nathan F Putman; Paul M Richards; Susan G Dufault; Elizabeth Scott-Dention; Kevin McCarthy; R Taylor Beyea; Charles W Caillouet Jr; William D Heyman; Erin E Seney; Katherine L Mansfield; Benny J Gallaway

doi:10.1016/j.isci.2023.105977

Modeling juvenile sea turtle bycatch risk in commercial and recreational fisheries

iScience. 2023 Jan 13;26(2):105977. doi: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.105977. eCollection 2023 Feb 17.

Affiliations

¹ LGL Ecological Research Associates, Bryan, TX 77802, USA.
² NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service, Southeast Fisheries Science Center, Miami, FL 33149, USA.
³ NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service, Southeast Fisheries Science Center, Galveston, TX 77551, USA.
⁴ Independent Researcher, Montgomery, TX 77356, USA.
⁵ Marine Turtle Research Group, Department of Biology, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL 32816, USA.

Abstract

Understanding the drivers of fisheries bycatch is essential for limiting its impacts on vulnerable species. Here we present a model to estimate the relative magnitude of sea turtle bycatch in major coastal fisheries across the southeastern US based on spatiotemporal variation in fishing effort and the simulated distributions of juvenile Kemp's ridley (Lepidochelys kempii) and green (Chelonia mydas) sea turtles recruiting from oceanic to nearshore habitats. Over the period modeled (1996-2017), bycatch in recreational fisheries was estimated to be greater than the sum of bycatch that occurred in commercial fisheries that have historically been considered high risks to turtles (e.g., those using trawls, gillnets, and bottom longlines). Prioritizing engagement with recreational anglers to reduce bycatch could be especially beneficial to sea turtle populations. Applying lessons learned from efforts to protect turtles in commercial fisheries may help meet the challenges that arise from the large, diffuse recreational fishing sector.

Keywords: Biological sciences; Ecology; Environmental science; Nature conservation.