Incidental capture of sea turtles in southeast Brazil: Assessment of the perceptions of artisanal fishers

Abstract Incidental capture of sea turtles in fisheries is the main cause of sea turtle population decline worldwide. This study evaluated the interactions between fisheries and sea turtles based on the perceptions of fishers operating along the coast of Rio de Janeiro State, southeast Brazil. Between 2016 and 2018, 240 ethnographic interviews were conducted in ten fishing communities, and the indication of incidental captures of sea turtles was high (>75%). Chelonia mydas was the most-observed and most-captured turtle species in the fisheries. The types of fishing gear responsible for such captures were the gillnet, bottom trawl net and hooked line. Most of the fishers reported that it is not possible to avoid incidental captures but that the sea turtles do not die immediately. In general, fishers release the captured animals, regardless of their physical condition (alive, apparently dead or dead). The results demonstrate that both the dissemination of information and training are necessary for greater conservation and efficiency in the handling of sea turtles captured in fishing gear.