Fishery Bycatch of Sea Turtles in the Moroccan Western Mediterranean Sea: An Assessment Based on Interviews with Fishermen

Abstract

Sea turtle bycatch remains a major conservation concern in the Mediterranean Sea, where interactions with fisheries continue to threaten vulnerable species. Data on bycatch along the western Mediterranean coast of Morocco remain scarce. This study aims to assess sea turtle bycatch patterns using local ecological knowledge (LEK). Structured questionnaire-based interviews were conducted with 436 fishermen across twenty coastal locations. Fishermen reported 99 bycatch events over five years, which were extrapolated to approximately 450 annual events, resulting in an estimated 40 mortalities. Caretta caretta was the most frequently encountered sea turtle species (79.8%), followed by Dermochelys coriacea (20.2%). Bottom gillnets were identified as the most detrimental fishing gear (56.5%). Bycatch was spatially concentrated in central fishing grounds and peaked during the summer (67.7%). A random forest model identified fishing gear, fishing depth (m), boat length (m) and distance to shore (km) as the key factors influencing sea turtle bycatch. These findings highlight the significant threat posed by fisheries to sea turtle populations and emphasize LEK as a cost-effective approach and innovative tool for rapidly acquiring essential data on sea turtle bycatch, particularly in the Moroccan context.