Abstract
The recent finding of gas embolism and decompression sickness in loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) in the Mediterranean Sea challenged the conventional understanding of marine vertebrate diving physiology. Additionally, it brought to light a previously unknown source of mortality associated with fisheries bycatch for this vulnerable species. In this paper, we use ultrasonography to describe gas embolism in a leatherback sea turtle (Dermochelys coriacea), a green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas) and an olive ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea) from accidental capture in a gillnet, bottom trawl and pair-bottom trawl respectively. This is the first description of this condition in these three species worldwide. These cases of gas embolism suggest that this may be a threat faced by all sea turtle species globally.
Highlights
The incidental capture of sea turtles by fisheries, referred to as bycatch, is recognized as the greatest threat for the conservation of the species within this group worldwide (Wallace et al, 2010)
Gas embolism and decompression sickness (DCS) was originally described in loggerhead sea turtles recovered as bycatch from trawlers and gillnets of local fisheries off the east coast of Spain (García-Párraga et al, 2014)
We found evidence that at least four sea turtle species are susceptible to gas embolism (GE) and/or DCS because of bycatch in gillnets and trawlers at different geographical locations
Summary
The incidental capture of sea turtles by fisheries, referred to as bycatch, is recognized as the greatest threat for the conservation of the species within this group worldwide (Wallace et al, 2010). Six out the seven sea turtle species are listed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as vulnerable, endangered, or critically endangered (accessed 28 April 2020). The size of global fishing fleet is too numerous to be monitored effectively, especially considering that much fishing occurs in international waters and many undocumented boats (Lewison et al, 2014). The annual average number of sea turtle bycatch reported globally between 1990 and 2008 was 4722 turtles, but estimations of true total bycatch numbers are of two orders of magnitude higher given that only 1% of fleets report these data (Wallace et al, 2010)
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