A turtle exclusion device is inserted in a trawl body of a shrimp trawl net immediately before the cod end, and permits the ready escape of entrapped marine turtles. The device is a array of angled, spaced bars, oriented in the direction of trawl flow and affixed to the trawl net, supporting the trawl net through a net entry hoop. An arcuate hinged turtle escape door is attached to the excluder at hinge points intermediate the top and the bottom of the net hoop; the door when closed provides a continuous net section preventing the escape of shrimp, yet is readily opened by the weight and force of an escaping turtle, as the turtle naturally rises up the array of excluder bars. The arcuate shape of the doors particularly adapted to the shape of the shell of the turtle and is more readily activated by the turtle's attempts to escape.
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