Developing ultraviolet illumination of gillnets as a method to reduce sea turtle bycatch
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Fisheries bycatch of marine animals has been linked to population declines of multiple species, including many sea turtles. Altering the visual cues associ- ated with fishing gear may reduce sea turtle bycatch. We examined the effectiveness of illumiting gillnets with ultraviolet (UV) light-emitting diodes for reducing green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas) interactions. We found that the mean sea turtle capture rate was reduced by 39.7% in UV-illumited nets compared with nets without illumition. In collaboration with commer- cial fishermen, we tested UV net illumition in a bottom-set gillnet fishery in Baja California, Mexico. We did not find any difference in overall target fish catch rate or market value between net types. These findings suggest that UV net illumition may have applications in coastal and pelagic gillnet fisheries to reduce sea turtle bycatch.