Thousands of endangered marine turtles were saved last year in the Coral Triangle region, which includes the Philippines, with the implementation of the Circle Hook and Turtle Recovery Program, according to the international conservation group Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF). The WWF said the new program aimed at reducing "by catch" in long line tuna fisheries resulted in a reduction of up to 80 percent in the number of sea turtle "by catch." "By catch" or "discards" are part of the catch that is not marketed and discarded at sea during the sorting process.

De Vera, E. B. (2010, January 17). Use of circle hooks helps save turtles in Coral Triangle. Manila Bulletin, p. 7.