CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) -- Endangered loggerhead turtles may be attracted to the same lights used by longline fishermen to lure tuna and swordfish.
Scientists at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill found in lab experiments that young loggerhead turtles will swim toward the lights.
That could explain why so many are inadvertently caught by fishermen.
Researchers say young turtles will bite everything small that they encounter.
Loggerhead turtles are protected because of declining numbers.
UNC researchers are recommending that fishermen direct their lights to the bottom of the ocean. Turtles spend most of their time near the surface.
They also suggest that fishermen switch to colors of light that turtles can't detect.
(Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
