Ban These Plastic Death Traps That Are Killing Sea Turtles and Baby Tuna

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Sponsor: Free The Ocean

Drifting fish aggregating devices are wiping out young tuna and entangling endangered wildlife—call for a ban now before more ocean life is lost.

Ban These Plastic Death Traps That Are Killing Sea Turtles and Baby Tuna

They drift through the water, out of sight and out of mind. But these floating rafts—known as drifting fish aggregating devices (FADs)—are wreaking havoc on marine life.

Tuna fishing fleets deploy thousands of these devices each year. Some are tracked. Many are not. Once set adrift, they attract not just adult tuna but also juvenile fish, endangered turtles, sharks, and other species that should never be caught in the first place1. Fishing vessels then sweep in and haul everything up. It’s a highly efficient way to catch fish—but it comes at a deadly cost.

Drifting FADs Are Driving Overfishing and Bycatch

Roughly half of all tuna caught with FADs are juveniles—fish that haven’t had the chance to reproduce2. That threatens the long-term survival of entire species. Add to that the massive toll on non-target animals. Shark and sea turtle bycatch rates spike around FADs. And because these devices are unmoored, many become marine litter when they’re abandoned or lost.

Plastic Rafts That Wreck Coastal Ecosystems

A single drifting FAD can travel thousands of miles before crashing into coral reefs, mangroves, or nesting grounds3. Their synthetic nets entangle and kill marine animals. Their plastic parts never break down. FADs are now washing up on remote islands and coastlines where few people even know they exist.

Despite this, no international rule limits how many FADs can be deployed, or requires that all of them be tracked and retrieved4. The U.S. has yet to ban their use in its own fisheries.

We Can Lead by Banning Drifting FADs

This is not sustainable. It’s not responsible. It’s not aligned with the values we claim to uphold when we talk about ocean conservation.

We have the chance to lead.

Banning drifting FADs in U.S.-regulated fisheries would immediately reduce juvenile tuna bycatch, limit entanglement of protected species, and cut back on marine pollution. And by pushing for international action through Regional Fisheries Management Organizations, we can help set a new global standard for sustainable tuna fishing.

Act Now for a Living Ocean

This is about protecting the ocean for all of us—for the communities that rely on fisheries, for the wildlife that cannot speak for itself, and for future generations who deserve a living ocean, not one clogged with plastic death traps.

Sign the petition now to tell U.S. officials to ban drifting fish aggregating devices and take action at home and abroad.

More on this issue:

  1. M. Fonteneau et al., ScienceDirect (29 Dec 2022), "Drifting fish aggregating devices entangle large numbers of sharks and turtles in the Atlantic Ocean."
  2. D. Gaertner et al., Wiley Online Library (30 Mar 2023), "Tuna fisheries in the western Indian Ocean dominated by juveniles."
  3. Beth Byrne, Galapagos Conservation Trust (21 Jan 2022), "FADs and the Galapagos Marine Reserve."
  4. Jackson Chu, Sustainable Fisheries UW (5 Oct 2020), "Drifting FADs: the most contentious tool in tuna fisheries."

The Petition

To the United States Secretary of Commerce, Members of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, Members of the House Committee on Natural Resources, NOAA Fisheries Administrator, and the Chair of the Council on Environmental Quality,

We, the undersigned, call for an immediate federal ban on the use and deployment of drifting fish aggregating devices (FADs) in U.S.-regulated and U.S.-flagged fisheries, and for the United States to advocate for their prohibition in international waters through Regional Fisheries Management Organizations.

Drifting FADs are artificial rafts designed to lure fish—but their widespread, unregulated use has become a threat to ocean ecosystems. These devices indiscriminately attract juvenile fish and vulnerable species like sharks and sea turtles, contributing to overfishing and bycatch. Once adrift, many become marine debris, entangling marine animals and polluting fragile habitats like coral reefs. Scientific research shows that thousands of these devices are deployed each year, many never recovered, effectively turning the ocean into a floating landfill.

This is a clear-cut case for conservation. Marine biodiversity is collapsing under the weight of human pressure—pollution, warming seas, and industrial overfishing. Drifting FADs are a known accelerant of this decline. We have a responsibility to halt this practice before more damage is done.

We urge you to:

  • Enact a nationwide ban on drifting FADs in U.S. fisheries.
  • Propose and support legislation to codify the ban and extend protections for pelagic species.
  • Use U.S. leadership in international fisheries bodies to push for a global phase-out of drifting FADs.
  • Fund research and monitoring of alternative, sustainable fishing practices.

These actions are necessary to uphold the integrity of our oceans, safeguard marine life, and preserve the livelihoods that depend on healthy fisheries. They represent a commitment to responsible stewardship of the seas, ensuring a better, more sustainable future for our planet and future generations.

Sincerely,