Experience is another thing: professional and amateur fishermen are an important piece in the saving or taking the life of a marine turtle. Last February, three businessmen saved a leatherback turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) from death in Florianopolis. They were fishing in a motorboat when they saw one of these animals dragging a bunch of tangled up nylon wires—probably from some fishing cable, which is one of the greatest threats to this species. The fishing wire could end up cutting off one of its fins.

Fishing with nets and longlines is extremely harmful to turtles because they capture these animals and may make them drown to death. According to TAMAR, a project created in 1980 to protect marine turtles, the solution to these problems lies exactly in the collaboration between fishermen and the Project to develop solutions that are not only viable but that also do not hinder the fishing industry. Using technology to develop less predatory fishing tools is one example of how this situation can be solved. In fact, it has already resulted in a new and less harmful type of fishing hook that rarely captures sea turtles (Tamar).

Take a look at this video about the Tamar project and see how they have been carrying out their work. Image: Tamar Newsletter