Freedom Turtle, from the Summer-to-Summer Super Swimathon. Many other animals hang out in the South Pacific Gyre with us -- albatross, seals, tuna, sharks, and swordfish. We get along with all of them, but, I have to say, the swordfish and tuna attract some folks that we just don't get along with -- the commercial fishing fleets. They sometimes catch us on their longline hooks or in their fishing nets. The technical term for when we get caught in nets and on lines meant for others is "bycatch". In my book, that's just another word for murder. I have lots of anecdotes about my friends ending up as bycatch.

But, my researcher buddies tell me more studies need to be done to find out exactly how the commercial fishing fleets are affecting us, on the open seas, and right along the coast. Our TOPP friends hope to develop models of our migration paths so that the commercial fishers can use them to avoid us while we paddle through their fishing areas. Maybe the researchers will be our version of the friendly school crossing guard -- hold up their hands and blow a whistle to make the commercial fishing fleets stop while we cross through the high-risk area. It could happen.