We conduct controlled experiments in collaboration with Inwater Research Group at a Florida Power and Light facility to understand how wild sea turtles interact with fishing gear and bycatch reduction technologies. At this one-of-a-kind study site, sea turtles are captured at Inwater Research Group’s St. Lucie site and used for our controlled bycatch deterrent experiments before being released back to the ocean. Conducting controlled trials in experimental tanks allows us to gain a detailed understanding of sea turtle behavior in relation to fishery hazards and deterrents, and allows us to optimize bycatch reduction technologies that can then be tested in fisheries.
Representative publications:
- Novel behavioral responses of sea turtles to gillnet fishing gear
- Revealing sea turtle behavior in relation to fishing gear using color-coded spatiotemporal motion patterns with deep neural networks