One of the most important causes of the decline of the loggerhead turtles is the incidental capture by long-line fishing vessels. Just in the Western Mediterranean, it is calculated that anually some 20,000 turtles are captured by the Spanish fleet of surface long-line fishermen.

For this reason, in 2002 and 2003, CRAM carried out an investigation on the effects of the “J” hook (parrot beak hook) on turtles captured accidentally, The procedure used was the observation over 24 months of 11 juvenile loggerhead turtles, with “J” hooks caught in their esophaguses.

The results revealed that none of the turtles presented with serious injuries. During this time, the peristatic movements of the esophagues had rotated the hooks, allowing the hook to be eliminated without external intervention in 45% of the cases. The rest of the hooks were extracted by means of a simple endoscopic intervention.

Turtles accidentally caught by longline