The biggest time of year for pier and shore fishing in North Carolina is fall, when adult fish move down the beach to spawn in and around inlets. But anyone wetting a hook also might have noticed that cooling waters usher in the return of sea turtles to overwinter off the coast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How much of a chance is there of mistakenly hooking these threatened and endangered creatures?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the United States, the Endangered Species Act protects all species of sea turtles. An endangered species is at risk of extinction because of a rapid decrease in its population or the loss of its critical habitat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The challenge with protecting sea turtles is it takes 10 to 50 years after hatching (depending on the species) for sea turtles to reach sexual maturity. During that time, risk of mortality is high, and bycatch \u2014 unintentional or incidental capture of sea turtles \u2014 is an important factor in the regulation of commercial fisheries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Not surprisingly, bycatch is more likely in areas where more turtles are present and where more fishing effort occurs. According to preliminary data from NOAA, in 2023 there were over 10 million estimated trips by anglers in North Carolina.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Researchers wanted to better understand the causes of commercial bycatch\u00a0and<\/em>\u00a0the level of growing recreational interactions with Kemp\u2019s ridley and green sea turtles across the Southeast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Enjoy a peaceful dive with a green sea turtle:<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n