Coast Guard Cutter Block Island Releases Turtles

PORTSMOUTH, Va. — The crew aboard the Coast Guard Cutter Block Island assisted the North Carolina Wildlife Commission to return more than 50 endangered sea turtles to the ocean 40-miles east of Beaufort Inlet, N.C., Friday.

The crew released 17 juvenile loggerhead and green turtles and 39 loggerhead hatchlings into the waters of the Gulf Stream.

The largest turtle released was a juvenile loggerhead that weight approximately 130 pounds.  Several of the sea turtles were tagged with transmitters that will allow aquariums to monitor them in the wild.

The safe release of these turtles is part of the Coast Guard’s broader effort to protect living marine resources.

The Block Island is a 110-foot Island Class patrol boat homeported in Atlantic Beach, N.C.

Seven Endangered Turtles Released On Texas Beach

An endangered green sea turtle begins to swim after being released off the coast of Port Aransas, Texas, Sept. 2, 2013. Coast Guard members teamed with volunteers for the Animal Rehabilitation Keep to safely release seven turtles back into their natural habitat. (Photo courtesy of Lee Harrison)

Coast Guard members support release of 7 endangered turtles at Texas beach

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Coast Guard members from Sector Corpus Christi helped return seven endangered sea turtles to the Gulf of Mexico, Monday, as part of a release program run by the Animal Rehabilitation Keep.

Petty Officer 1st Class Maximilliano Castillo of Coast Guard Station Aids to Navigation
 Corpus Christi carries an endangered green sea turtle to the shoreline in Port Aransas, Texas,
 Sept. 2, 2013. Coast Guard members teamed with volunteers for the Animal Rehabilitation
 Keep to safely release seven turtles back into their natural habitat.
(Photo courtesy of Lee Harrison)

"The Coast Guard provided valuable assistance to the Animal Rehabilitation Keep by escorting the sea turtles to their home in the Gulf of Mexico,” said Lee Harrison, Coast Guard Auxiliary member and executive director of Friends of the ARK. “Marine Protected Species are a vital component of the Coast Guard’s Ocean Steward program that investigates and educates the public about such things as throwing debris, plastics and other pollution in our waters. All seven released turtles had to be rehabilitated after being injured by mostly human errors in judgment, causing severe injuries to our sea turtles. It only seems right that human intervention then helped these beautiful creatures return to the sea."

Five green sea turtles, one loggerhead sea turtle and one Kemp's Ridley sea turtle were released.

The Animal Rehabilitation Keep is a non-profit organization that rehabilitates birds, especially aquatic birds, sea turtles, terrestrial turtles and tortoises and oversees their release into a hospitable, native environment

Petty Officer 3rd Class Derek Zillinger of Coast Guard Station Port Aransas holds an endangered green sea turtle ready to be released off the coast of Port Aransas, Texas, Sept. 2, 2013. Coast Guard members teamed with volunteers for the Animal Rehabilitation Keep to safely release seven turtles back into their natural habitat. (Photo courtesy of Lee Harrison)

Members of the Animal Rehabilitation Keep escort endangered green sea turtles into the water as they are released off the coast of Port Aransas, Texas, Sept. 2, 2013. Coast Guard members teamed with volunteers for the ARK to safely release seven turtles back into their natural habitat. (Photo courtesy of Lee Harrison)

Coast Guard Crews Assist Entangled Sea Turtle

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico -The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Harriet Lane serving aboard the Coast Guard Cutter Legare assisted in disentangling a sea turtle off the coast of Puerto Rico, Thursday. Upon its rescue, the sea turtle seemed to sustain only minor injuries to its left flipper due to being trapped in the net for an extended period of time. U.S. Coast Guard photo.

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Harriet Lane serving aboard the Coast Guard Cutter Legare assisted in disentangling a sea turtle off the coast of Puerto Rico, Thursday.

U.S. Coast Guard photo.

While patrolling the southern coast of Puerto Rico, a watchstander aboard the Legare spotted an unfamiliar object bobbing up and down in the water. The crew immediately maneuvered the cutter to take a closer look.

Shortly after, it became clear that the object was a large sea turtle that was entangled in pieces of discarded fishing gear, also known as ghost gear.

The cutter’s smallboat crew was immediately lowered into the water to free the turtle. The crewmembers were able to quickly maneuver the boat next to the trapped sea turtle, cut away the net, and safely release the sea turtle.

Upon its rescue, the sea turtle seemed to sustain only minor injuries to its left flipper due to it being trapped in the net for an extended period of time.

The Harriet Lane is a 270-foot medium endurance cutter homeported in Portsmouth, Va.