Since 2001, the Marine Conservation Society has been interviewing fishermen who have accidentally entangled leatherback turtles in their gear around the UK coast in order to gain some insight into why they entangle in certain gears. Very few leatherback entanglements are reported in UK waters each year, but the gear that most commonly entangles them are the buoy ropes of bottom-set static gear such as crab pots, lobster pots, tangle nets and prawn creels. 

We do not fully understand why leatherbacks entangle in this gear. Hopefully this MCS survey will shed some light on this issue and contribute to making UK seas safer for these critically endangered animals. So far we have interviewed fishermen in south and south west England, south Wales and throughout Scotland. The interviews have been conducted face-to-face or by telephone and follow a simple questionnaire that asks for details about the entanglement, the environmental conditions and the gear used.

If you have accidentally entangled a turtle in your fishing gear, or know someone who has, and would like to take part in the MCS Turtle Entanglement Survey, please contact MCS Species Policy Officer Peter Richardson on 01989 566017, or peter@mcsuk.org to arrange an interview. Please also report your turtle entanglement by clicking here.

Please be aware that while marine turtles are protected in UK waters under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and the Conservation Regulations 1994, but no offence is committed if:

• turtles are caught or die as the incidental result of a lawful operation (e.g. accidental entanglement in fishing gear)
  
• entangled or stranded turtles are tended to ensure their survival
  
• dead turtles are temporarily held for later examination by experts. 

More information about marine turtles in the UK is available from the MCS in the form of the Marine Turtles in the United Kingdom Advisory Note. To obtain a free copy of the Note, please contact Peter Richardson at the MCS contact details given above.