News Release

FWC rescues sea turtle entangled in buoy and debris

November 4, 2009
Contact: Carli Segelson, 727-896-8626

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) staff rescued an entangled green sea turtle Monday in the Florida Keys, nine miles offshore from Cudjoe Key. FWC personnel, including a biologist, a law enforcement officer and a volunteer, pulled the injured turtle to safety with the help of a Good Samaritan angler.

It took all four rescuers to pull the 230-pound male sea turtle and entangling debris over the side of the rescue boat. The debris included a lobster buoy, a net and a long bamboo pole. The net had cut into the edges around the back of the turtle's shell as well as at the base of both front flippers.

"Entangling fishing line and nets often injure sea turtles," said Sue Schaf, the FWC biologist who coordinated the rescue. "In some cases, entanglement cuts off circulation, leading to amputation of one or more flippers, or causes a fatal infection, drowning or starvation."

Because of the severity of the entanglement, FWC staff took the injured turtle to the Turtle Hospital of Marathon for rehabilitation. The animal will be released back into the wild once it is medically cleared by veterinarians.

Each year in Florida, the FWC documents about 60 sea turtles that are entangled in debris.  Many of these turtles are found dead. The most common entangling materials are monofilament fishing line, the buoy line of crab traps or lobster pots and fishing nets.

To report a dead or distressed sea turtle, call the FWC Wildlife Alert hotline at 888-404-FWCC (3922).  

For information on sea turtle research, visit http://Research.MyFWC.com.