Challenges and Opportunities in Monitoring and Mitigating Sea Turtle Bycatch in Tuna Regional Fisheries Management Organizations

Fisheries that target tunas and tuna-like species are managed by tuna regional fisheries management organizations (t-RFMO) and are known to interact with various bycatch species, including sea turtles, with potentially negative effects. Actions and management measures implemented by t-RFMO to monitor sea turtle fisheries interactions, reduce their bycatch in fisheries, and carry out best practices for the handling and safe release of sea turtles, with the ultimate aim of improving the conservation of sea turtles are revised. Specifically, the actions and regulations for each of the following areas are revised: (i) data collection requirements, (ii) bycatch estimates and assessments, (iii) management measures, and (iv) any other conservation and management actions for sea turtle conservation. The particular case of the Mediterranean Sea also was analyzed, given that it has the highest rate of sea turtle bycatch in the world. Tuna-RFMO have a great potential for reducing fisheries bycatch impacts in marine turtle populations globally, but their actions are limited by their geographic scopes and mandates and the variety of habitats used by sea turtles during their life history. Tuna-RFMO also have a potentially significant role in leading the reduction of incidental sea turtle mortality in fisheries under their purview, both regionally and globally, by bringing together different stakeholders and initiatives.