Loggerhead turtles are taken by gillnet fisheries in the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico, but the number is currently not known. Several thousand vessels are involved in hook and line fishing for various coastal species. The capturing of turtles is not uncommon, but the number is currently not known. Pound net fisheries are primarily a problem in waters off of Virginia and North Carolina, however generally turtles are released alive. Due to expansion of this fishery, it may have a large impact on turtle recovery.
Loggerhead turtles are vulnerable to entanglement in trap fishery lines, and subsequent drowning.
The impact on the population has not been determined. Turtles get caught in discarded fishing gear. The number affected is unknown, but potentially significant. All rights reserved.