SCCF: Vessel strikes among top causes of sea turtle mortalities
The Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation holds a permit for responding to and documenting sea turtle strandings on Sanibel and Captiva. A stranding refers to one that is found sick, injured or dead.
Sick or injured turtles are rescued and transported to a rehabilitation facility for evaluation and treatment, the SCCF reported. Data on all stranded turtles is collected, including species, location, size and descriptions of injuries and abnormalities. The data is reported to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission for use at the state and federal levels to monitor mortality, categorize stranding events and better inform management practices.
In 2021, the SCCF documented a total of 43 stranded turtles (40 dead and three live). The majority of the strandings (29) were loggerheads, followed by eight Kemp’s ridleys and six greens. Most stranded turtles could not be assigned a cause of death by an external examination (19), and many of these had missing limbs that were unidentifiable as pre- or post-mortem injuries. Definitive vessel-strike injuries were found in 11 strandings and nine showed evidence of predator damage, such as shark-bite injuries. A single turtle was found entangled in a crab trap.
The SCCF reported that while the cause of some strandings cannot be easily determined, others can be more confidently identified, such as vessel strike injuries. Vessel strikes are acknowledged as a threat to sea turtles and are one of the most common sources of mortality documented among strandings year after year. Officials provided the following tips and information for boaters to help protect sea turtles:
– When boating, slow down and remain vigilant.
– Even outside of nesting season, sea turtles are found in the waters surrounding the islands.
– It is important to abide idle-speed zones and keep your eyes peeled outside the zones for turtles near the water’s surface.
– Slower speeds can reduce the potential for severe injury and may offer more time for turtles to evade an oncoming boat.
– When you’re out on the water, remember: Slow down and look around.
If you encounter a stranded turtle, call the SCCF Sea Turtle Hotline at 978-728-3663.