Hawksbill shells and goods continue to be traded illegally in alarmingly huge quantities, despite the fact that they are currently protected by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and other national laws. Their stunning brown and yellow carapace plates, which are turned into tortoiseshell jewelry and decorations, are much sought for across the tropics. Eastern Asia has recently offered a receptive market for tortoiseshell.

Hawksbills are especially prone to getting caught in gillnets and unintentionally becoming caught on fishing hooks. Many sea turtles that are captured drown because they must surface to breathe. This is a severe hazard to hawksbill turtles and is referred to as bycatch. This hazard becomes more of a concern as fishing activity increases.