Save Texas Sea Turtles!

Good News- the recovery plan is working!

2011-09-30T20:25:00.001-07:00

http://www.caller.com/news/2011/sep/29/kemps-ridley-turtle-recovery-is-succeeding/

Slow Down Pardner! Call Your Reps Today!

2011-07-27T10:16:00.000-07:00

U. S. Rep. Blake Farenthold of Corpus Christi has allowed a group of fishermen to influence him. He has added Amendment #24 to House Bill HR 2584 that would allow fishermen to drive faster on the Padre Island National Seashore during the nesting season of the Kemp’s ridley sea turtles. As you all know, a sea turtle covered by sand, or hatchlings, will be doomed with people driving 25 mph down the beach.
This amendment is deadly for the sea turtles. Please call your representative at either a local office or in Washington. You can find their phone number by going to http://www.house.gov/ where you can enter your zip code to find the right person and how to contact him/her.
Ted Poe’s Washington office is 866-425-6565 if he is your representative. He is mine, so I asked that he strike, block or remove Amendment #24 to House Bill HR 2584.
Please help today and pass this message on to others. Thank you!

Carole H. Allen, Gulf Office DirectorSea Turtle Restoration Project (http://www.seaturtles.org/)And HEART (Help Endangered Animals-Ridley Turtles) www. ridleyturtles.orgP. O. B ox 681231Houston, Texas 77268-1231Phone and FAX 281-444-6204

Jimmy Carter Helps Release Loggerhead Sea Turtle

2010-12-29T10:58:00.001-08:00

Jimmy Carter Helps Release Loggerhead Sea Turtle
NPR
by AP AP In this photo released by the Florida Keys News Bureau, former President Jimmy Carter watches "Danger," a loggerhead sea turtle, as it walks into ...

Support Needed to Keep Kemp's Nesting Beach Safe!

2010-09-19T19:14:00.000-07:00

A few years ago, residents and tourists near the Padre Island National Seashore in Texas were ecstatic that the endangered Kemp's ridley sea turtles were finally coming back to nest. It was a victory for the environment that would bring thousands of visitors to the Corpus Christi area. Now a group of fishermen are rejecting a common sense compromise and want to drive too fast on the National Seashore putting nesting sea turtles, children, families and pets at risk! No one is denying access to them, just asking all drivers to slow down during the nesting season of the sea turtles and camping season for visitors.

In 2009, as numbers of nesting ridleys increased, the superintendent at Padre Island National Seashore lowered the vehicle speed limit on the entire beach from 25 to 15 mph from April 1 to July 31-four months-which covered the entire Kemp's ridley nesting season. A vocal group of surf fishermen said they didn't like that idea. The Park then called for an Environmental Assessment (EA), which is underway.

In 2010, in the spirit of compromise, the superintendent shortened the length of speed reduction to April 15 to July 5-2.7 months-which this year did cover the nesting season. This isn't good enough for the fishermen who are trying to whip up public sentiment against a common sense approach at the Seashore. The comment period has been reopened until September 29.

Please take a moment to send an e-mail to: pais_superintendent@nps.gov

The choices are:
1. No action.
2. A seasonal 15 mph speed limit for the entire beach beginning at the occurrence of the first Kemp's ridley turtle nest observed within the park or April 15 -whichever is earlier- through the end of the Kemp's ridley nesting season.
3. A 15 mph speed limit from March 1 through November 30 for the entire beach. Outside of these dates (i.e.from December 1 through February 28), the speed limit from MM 2.5 south to Mansfield Channel would be 25 mph.

#2 or #3 would be common sense choices that would protect sea turtles, campers, children, pets and staff. This is an issue about an endangered species that nests on a national seashore so we should all speak up about it. Take time to send an e-mail to pais_superintendent@nps.gov asking for slower traffic during the nesting season.

Submitted by Carole H. Allen, Gulf Office Director
Sea Turtle Restoration Project

Galveston Isle State Park Survey

2010-09-13T12:58:00.001-07:00

Hello everyone! There is a survey about the rebuilding of Galveston Island State Park online that is a great opportunity for us to ask for a sea turtle corral, an interpretative center so programs and exhibits can be seen about the Kemp’s ridleys, etc.

It takes a few minutes to get through the survey at http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/newsmedia/releases/?req=20100909a&nrtype=all&nrspan=2010&nrsearch=
but there are several opportunities to mention the need for a corral for sea turtles, keeping eggs on the Upper Texas Coast, releasing hatchlings in the Galveston area, etc. The need for a bigger nature center fits in several places. There is a public meeting at Texas A&M University at Galveston on the evening of September 21 and I hope some people can get there and ask for a corral. Pass the word to everyone you can and ask them to speak up about a corral, sea turtle interpretative center or whatever you want to say to support funding for the park and increasing attention by the state to the Kemp’s ridleys. Just speak up! Thanks!

Carole A.

PATROL HOURS NEEDED

2010-09-02T07:04:00.000-07:00

Counting patrol time spent looking for Kemp’s ridley nesters or tracks on the Upper Texas Coast is very important. We need to submit all hours (or partial hours) by September 15.

If you went anywhere on the Upper Texas Coast (Galveston Island, Bolivar Peninsula, Brazos County, etc.), please send a message to Carole@seaturtles.org. She needs to know the following or as much as you can provide:

We need the following information for those areas where patrols wereconducted specifically to detect nesting:
1. Area that was patrolled -(ie. Galveston West Beach from __ to ______). Length of beach patrolled if available (if you donot know the length, we will calculate it by looking at a map and using thedescription of the area that was covered).

2. Total number of hours actually spent patrolling on the beach (ifmultiple people went on a patrol, only count the number of hours for one ofthose people for that patrol)

3. Total number of miles actually patrolled on the beach (if multiplepeople went on a patrol, only count the number of miles for one of thosepeople for that patrol)

4. Date of first patrol

5. Date of last patrol

6. Days of the week that were patrolled (ie. seven days per week, Mondaythrough Thursdays, intermittent)

7. Typical number of patrol passes each day (ie. one pass a day, two ormore trips made each day along the entire route, two or more patrollerscriss crossed, etc.)

8. Patrol method used (ie. walking, UTV, ATV, 4-wheel drive vehicle, or acombination)

Thanks.

Scientists Say Alarming Rise in Sea Turtle Deaths in Gulf Likely Linked to Failure to Properly Use Turtle Excluder Devices

2010-08-20T08:58:00.000-07:00

For Immediate Release, August 18, 2010
Contact:
Andrea Treece, Center for Biological Diversity, (415) 378-6558
Todd Steiner, Turtle Island Restoration Network, (415) 663-8590 x 103
Deborah Sivas, Stanford Environmental Law Clinic, (650) 723-0325

U.S. Government Will Take a New Look at Impacts of Shrimp Trawling on Imperiled Sea Turtles

Scientists Say Alarming Rise in Sea Turtle Deaths in Gulf Likely Linked to Failure to Properly Use Turtle Excluder Devices

PENSACOLA, Fla.— The National Marine Fisheries Service announced on Tuesday that it will examine whether shrimp trawling in the southeast United States, including the Gulf of Mexico, is jeopardizing threatened and endangered sea turtle populations. The government made this decision after finding unprecedented numbers of drowned sea turtles in the Gulf, particularly in Mississippi Sound.

The Center for Biological Diversity and Turtle Island Restoration Network, represented by the Stanford Law Clinic, had petitioned the government last month to undertake this new analysis under the Endangered Species Act and delay further shrimp trawling until adequate protections were in place. Despite significant concerns regarding its impacts on threatened and endangered sea turtles, the National Marine Fisheries Service allowed shrimp trawling in the Gulf to begin again this week.

“These turtles face even more serious challenges to their survival since BP spewed millions of gallons of oil and chemical dispersants into their habitat,” said Andrea Treece, an attorney with the Center. “Right now they need all the help we can give them. Losing even more turtles to drowning in shrimp trawls may just be too much for some species to rebound from.”
Wildlife rescuers have collected more than 1,000 sea turtles since the BP Deepwater Horizon blowout, more than of which 500 were dead. Scientists say that drowning was a primary culprit in death of sea turtles they’ve examined. Shrimp fishing can kill sea turtles when the air-breathing animals are caught in the trawls and prevented from surfacing to breathe; it is recognized as the annual leading cause of mortality to adult turtles from industrial fishing activities in the Gulf of Mexico and throughout the world.

Todd Steiner, executive director of Turtle Island, said today: “Shrimp fishing combined with the BP oil spill is a double whammy for sea turtles, especially the Kemp's ridley turtle, that pushes them ever more close to extinction. We expect the government's new biological opinion to issue hard caps on the number of turtles that can be caught in shrimp nets — and when that cap is reached, the fishing season must end to allow the species a chance to recover.”

Shrimp trawlers are required to install and use turtle excluder devices (TEDs), which allow sea turtles caught in shrimp nets to escape to the surface to breathe. However, reports of widespread non-compliance with excluder requirements and other measures designed to save turtles indicate that more remains to be done to protect the species.

“The government needs to do more than study whether shrimp trawling is jeopardizing sea turtles. It needs to ensure that adequate measures are in place and being enforced to protect those sea turtles,” said Deborah A. Sivas, a professor of environmental law and director of Stanford Environmental Law Clinic, which is representing the California- and Texas-based Turtle Island Restoration Network and the Center for Biological Diversity.

The Fisheries Service suspects that lingering effects from the BP Horizon oil spill may also be making sea turtles more vulnerable to being caught and drowned in trawls. The Gulf of Mexico provides crucial breeding, feeding and migratory habitat for five of the world’s seven species of sea turtles: Kemp’s ridley, loggerhead, green, leatherback and hawksbill. All are protected under the Endangered Species Act.
###

Sea Turtle Deaths from Shrimp Fishing to Get New Review After Notice to Sue Filed by Conservation Organization

2010-08-18T06:52:00.000-07:00

Sea Turtle Restoration Project-Texas
Help Endangered Animals-Ridley Turtles
Gulf Office: P.O. Box 681231, Houston, Texas 77268
Telephone and FAX 281 444-6204
www.ridleyturtles.org
www.seaturtles.org

NEWS RELEASE

A lawsuit threatened by the Sea Turtle Restoration Project (STRP) has brought action from the National Marine Fisheries Service to stop the killing of sea turtles across the Gulf of Mexico. Their Southeast Regional Office has announced it will reinitiate Section 7 consultation on shrimp trawling under the Endangered Species Act in both state and federal waters of the southeastern United States.

“Shrimp fishing continues to injure and kill thousands of sea turtles in the Gulf each year because many shrimpers refuse to utilize a simple piece of equipment called a Turtle Excluder Device that can allow turtles to escape their nets,” said Carole Allen, Sea Turtle Restoration Project’s Gulf of Mexico Director.

STRP filed a 60-day Intent to Sue Notice in July following reports of hundreds of dead sea turtles in Mississippi waters. Examinations of dead turtles showed few of them died from oil but instead from “forced submergence” in shrimp trawls. Others have been killed by sand dredging in Louisiana where the shrimping season reopened on August 16. Turtle Excluder Devices (TEDs) are not required on shrimp trawls in their state waters threatening even more sea turtles. In addition, recent NOAA inspections of the east Texas shrimp fleet found problems with TED implementation.

Shrimp fishing is the major cause of human-induced sea turtle mortality according to scientists. Tens of thousands of sea turtles are caught each year in US waters in giant nets drug along the bottom resulting in serious injury and death.

Todd Steiner, Biologist and Executive Director of STRP, said today: "Shrimp fishing combined with the BP oil spill is a double whammy for sea turtles, especially the Kemp's ridley turtle, that pushes them ever more close to extinction. We expect the government’s new biological opinion to issue hard caps on the number of turtles that can be caught in shrimp nets-- and when that cap is reached, the fishing season must end to allow the species a chance to recover."

Updated Sea Turtle Nesting for 2010

2010-08-16T19:02:00.000-07:00

Subject: Texas Nest Update species correction

Today, it was discovered at hatching that a nest previously identified as
loggerhead is actually Kemp's ridley. This nest had been found on Boca
Chica Beach. Tallies are adjusted accordingly below.

KEMP'S RIDLEY TURTLE
So far this year, 140 Kemp's ridley nests have been confirmed on the Texas
coast including (north to south in state):
Bolivar Peninsula 3
Galveston Island 8
Brazoria County, just north of Surfside 3
Surfside Beach 1
Bryan Beach 1
Matagorda Peninsula 2
Matagorda Island 2
San Jose Island 1
Mustang Island 5
North Padre Island 82, including 74 at Padre Island National Seashore
South Padre Island 28
Boca Chica Beach 4

The state total of 140 is less than the record 197 Kemp's ridley nests
documented in Texas during 2009.

LOGGERHEAD TURTLE
So far this year, 5 loggerhead nests have been confirmed on the Texas coast
including (north to south in state):
Brazoria County, just north of Surfside 0
North Padre Island 5, including 5 at Padre Island National Seashore

The state total of 5 is less than the record 6 loggerhead nests documented
in Texas.

GREEN TURTLE
So far this year, 9 green turtle nest has been confirmed on the Texas coast
including (north to south in state):
North Padre Island 9, including 9 at Padre Island National Seashore

The state total of 9 sets a new record of green sea turtle nests documented
in Texas. The previous record was 5.

Alabama Hatchling Emerging From Nest

2010-08-13T07:52:00.000-07:00

Cool video of hatchling emerging from the nest in daytime!

You will see a hatchling (not a ridley) making his way out of the nest on a beach in Alabama. It was a daytime hatching and volunteers sat in the sun to make sure the hatchlings were protected when they emerged and went to the water.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifxMBDSlIag

MEDIA ADVISORY: Teleconference with Sea Turtle experts

2010-08-03T12:27:00.000-07:00

What: A teleconference call with federal sea turtle experts who will discuss the latest numbers of sea turtles that may have been affected by the BP oil spill, ongoing sea turtle rescue efforts, nest translocation/hatchling release efforts, updated necropsy results and the turtle observer program.

Who: -NOAA Fisheries, National Sea Turtle Coordinator, Barbara Schroeder-U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Sea Turtle Coordinator, Sandy MacPherson -National Park Service, Rick Clark, Chief of Science and Resource Management, Gulf Islands National Seashore and Donna Shaver, Chief of Sea Turtle Science & Recovery, Padre Island National Seashore

When: 1:00 p.m. EDT/Noon CDT, Wednesday, August 4, 2010Call-in Info: Teleconference, call-in number: (866) 304-5784. International callers use (706) 643-1612. Passcode: 91578966.For information about the response effort, visit www.deepwaterhorizonresponse.com.

BP Oil Spill: STRP Actions to date

2010-07-14T20:31:00.000-07:00

Summary of Actions Taken by STRP

Environmentalists Seek Greater Protection for Sea Turtles Imperiled by BP’s Oil Spill

2010-07-14T20:26:00.000-07:00

Environmentalists Seek Greater Protection

for Sea Turtles Imperiled by BP’s Oil Spill

Scientists Fear Double Whammy of Drowning in Oil and

Shrimp Nets Will Lead to Extinction in the Gulf of Mexico

HOUSTON – With BP’s massive oil spill in the Gulf pushing rare sea turtles closer than ever to extinction, two environmental groups today petitioned the federal government for an emergency extension of the shrimp fishery seasonal closure. The closure is scheduled to expire Thursday, July 15. The groups also asked the National Marine Fisheries Service to conduct an analysis required by the Endangered Species Act before allowing the fishery to open as usual to determine whether sea turtles would be jeopardized.

“The government needs to ensure that sea turtles are adequately protected when the shrimp season opens,” said Deborah A. Sivas, Professor of Environmental Law and Director of Stanford Environmental Law Clinic, which is representing California-and Texas-based Turtle Island Restoration Network, and the Center for Biological Diversity.

More than 600 sea turtles have been reported killed or injured since the Gulf spill, and scientists believe this is a tiny fraction of these endangered species that have and will be killed by the disastrous 86-day oil spill that continues to pollute the Gulf. Thousands of adults and hatchlings are leaving their nesting sites and are believed to be heading directly into the spill.

Scientists are concerned that until BP is able to ensure sea turtle survival from the massive oil slick that other threats to turtles need to be considered. Shrimp fishing can kill sea turtles, when the air-breathing animals are caught in the nets and prevented from surfacing to breathe. Shrimp fishing is recognized as the annual leading cause of mortality to adult turtles from industrial fishing activities in the Gulf of Mexico and throughout the world. To ensure the long-term viability of shrimp and fishing in the Gulf, precautions are needed now. The economic loss shrimpers face from the Deep Horizon oil spill should be fully compensated by BP, including any new restrictions that result that are necessary to prevent the extinction of sea turtles in the Gulf.

Todd Steiner, biologist and executive director of Turtle Island Restoration Network said, “Right now, we need to be protecting the remaining fish and wildlife in the Gulf, so it can provide a genetic pool for wildlife to re-colonize once this mess is cleaned up. This is not the time to be short-sighted and selfish to both future generations of fishers and the American public by vacuuming up all the life that has survived the oil disaster.”

“Sea turtles now face the double-whammy of perishing in the horrendous oil spill or drowning in shrimp nets, and together these threats may push some of the species into extinction in the Gulf,” said Carole Allen, Gulf of Mexico director for Turtle Island Restoration Network in Houston, Texas. “We won’t sit idly and allow this to happen without a fight to ensure everything is done to give these ancient species a fighting chance.”

Sea turtles have been present in the Gulf for tens of millions of years, having out-survived the threats that caused the extinction of dinosaurs, but all U.S. species now find themselves on the endangered species list, due to human impacts that include fishing, oil spills, other pollutants and poaching.

“Hundreds of sea turtles have already been found dead in the Gulf since the spill, and all of these turtles were already nearing extinction. Endangered sea turtles need every bit of protection available to secure their survival,” said Miyoko Sakashita, oceans director at the Center for Biological Diversity, “BP is the bad guy here and owes it to shrimpers to make them financially whole, we support those efforts and urge BP to do the right thing.”

###

Urgent Need- Call Your US Sentators & Reps

2010-07-08T05:48:00.000-07:00

I need a personal favor. Please call the Houston offices of the Texas senators tomorrow:

Kay Bailey Hutchison: 713-653-3456
John Cornyn: 713-572-3337

THEY ARE BOTH ON VACATION THIS WEEK BUT PERSONAL CALLS WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE. THEY HAVE EACH BEEN SENT INFORMATION SO THEIR STAFF WILL KNOW WHAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT. YOU CAN GO TO THE STRP WEBSITE (WWW.SEATURTLES.ORG) AND SEND AN INTERNET MESSAGE TOO, BUT THE PERSONAL CALLS ARE THE MOST EFFECTIVE. PLEASE PASS THIS MESSAGE ALONG SO WE CAN PREVENT ANY MORE KEMP’S RIDLEY HATCHLINGS FROM BEING RELEASED.

THANKS IN ADVANCE! We need to hurry.

CAROLE

Texas

Barton, Joe, Texas, 6th
Brady, Kevin, Texas, 8th
Burgess, Michael, Texas, 26th
Carter, John, Texas, 31st
Conaway, K. Michael, Texas, 11th
Cuellar, Henry, Texas, 28th
Culberson, John, Texas, 7th
Doggett, Lloyd, Texas, 25th
Edwards, Chet, Texas, 17th
Gohmert, Louie, Texas 1st
Gonzalez, Charlie A., Texas, 20th
Granger, Kay, Texas, 12th
Green, Al, Texas, 9th
Green, Gene, Texas, 29th
Hall, Ralph M., Texas, 4th
Hensarling, Jeb, Texas, 5th
Hinojosa, Rubén, Texas, 15th
Jackson Lee, Sheila, Texas, 18th
Johnson, Eddie Bernice, Texas 30th
Johnson, Sam, Texas, 3rd
Marchant, Kenny, Texas, 24th
McCaul, Michael T., Texas, 10th
Neugebauer, Randy, Texas, 19th
Olson, Pete, Texas, 22nd
Ortiz, Solomon P., Texas, 27th
Paul, Ron, Texas, 14th
Poe, Ted, Texas, 2nd
Reyes, Silvestre, Texas, 16th
Rodriguez, Ciro, Texas, 23rd
Sessions, Pete, Texas, 32nd
Smith, Lamar, Texas, 21st
Thornberry, Mac, Texas, 13th

HATCHLING RELEASES AT THE PADRE ISLAND NATIONAL SEASHORE SHOULD BE STOPPED!

2010-07-07T13:53:00.000-07:00

NEWS RELEASE

Tiny Kemp’s ridley hatchlings may end up in the oil slick!

In spite of evidence that sea turtles in the western Gulf may move east in currents into the oil spill, Kemp’s ridley hatchlings continue to be released at the Padre Island National Seashore. Although numerous hatchlings have already been released, clutches (nests) numbering from 84 through 135 are still incubating.

A request is being made to NOAA Administrator Jane Lubchenco, the US Fish and Wildlife Service, the National Park Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service to act immediately to stop any further releases.

“These tiny members of the Kemp’s ridley population could be moved to the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Galveston sea turtle facility and raised until it is safe to let them go,” said Carole Allen, Gulf Office Director of the Sea Turtle Restoration Project (STRP), and long time supporter of NMFS head starting from 1978 to 1993. “The Galveston facility has the expertise to take good care of these turtles until the Gulf offers them a chance to live.”

“All the attention is focused on the eastern Gulf with seemingly little interest in the Kemp’s ridley hatchlings,” said Todd Steiner of STRP. “It seems such a simple thing to do to save hundreds of tiny turtles from death by oil.”

STRP Lawsuit Stops BP Burns Pending Scientists' Input

2010-07-02T18:29:00.000-07:00

Good news! After we filed a lawsuit against BP, the corporation agreed to stop burning turtles alive in their controlled burns!

In response to a suit we filed Wednesday, BP and the Coast Guard have agreed to stop burning oil off the surface of the Gulf of Mexico. Now, they must involve sea turtle experts to put in place a scientifically-sound plan to protect endangered sea turtles. All burning is currently halted. It can only begin again after a team of scientists has determined how to protect the sea turtles from any future burns.

BP and the Coast Guard backed down and agreed to the requirements of the federal judge overseeing the case. Now, they say, the horrifyingly cruel practice of burning sea turtles will end.

This is the first good news for sea turtles from the BP oil spill that I have heard in months - and especially needed for the highly endangered Kemp's ridley sea turtle, which has suffered a tremendous setback in population recovery due to the oil spill.

Just a few months ago, the future of the Kemp's ridley sea turtles, which nest and forage in the Gulf of Mexico, was looking good. This small, endangered sea turtle has struggled back from near extinction when the population declined to just 300 nesting females in the 1980s.

But when the BP oil well blew out on April 20, it not only killed 11 men and brought devastation to Gulf states, it put the Kemp's ridley sea turtles' recovery in doubt and put all of the Gulf's sea turtles and other wildlife in harm's way. We must demand that not only do BP and the Coast Guard protect sea turtles from oil burning operations, but that they protect every single egg, every hatchling and every adult sea turtle to give them a shot at survival.

It is only with continued public scrutiny and pressure that we can ensure that they follow through with the actions needed to protect sea turtles. And I can guarantee you they will put up a good fight, because saving the sea turtles does not benefit them.

It is only with all of us speaking out that we will be able to pressure BP and our federal government to fully restore and protect marine wildlife and habitat in the Gulf of Mexico. I know that I can count on you to help in those efforts, and I greatly appreciate it.

Thank you for your support of the Sea Turtle Restoration Project's efforts, and for being a part of this tremendous victory!

Sincerely,

Todd Steiner

PS I hope you'll take a minute to review the global press that the Sea Turtle Restoration Project has gotten on this issue over the past few days at www.seaturtles.org/inthenews. And I ask that you consider helping us gear up for the long fight that lies ahead for sea turtle survival in the Gulf, with a donation of any size through our secure server at www.seaturtles.org/donate. Thank you!

Lawsuit Launched to Force BP to Stop Burning of Sea Turtles Alive Killing of Sea Turtles in “Burn Boxes” violates Endangered Species Act

2010-06-29T08:39:00.000-07:00

Link to STRP

SAN FRANCISCO— The Center for Biological Diversity and Turtle Island Restoration Network today officially notified BP and the U.S. Coast Guard of their intent to sue to stop the burning alive of endangered sea turtles in the chaotic clean-up efforts in the Gulf of Mexico. The letter is a first step to filing a lawsuit under the Endangered Species Act.

“BP is burning turtles alive and it is cruel, heartless and a crime we can’t and won’t allow to continue,” said Todd Steiner, biologist and executive director of Turtle Island Restoration Network (TIRN). “Sea turtles were critically endangered before BP created America’s worst environmental catastrophe, and every effort possible must be taken to rescue endangered turtles from this oil spill. BP needs to reverse course and help double our efforts to rescue sea turtles, not prevent their recovery.”

The spill occurred as rare Kemp’s ridley sea turtles started nesting in the Gulf of Mexico. Several females have been tracked directly to the oil spill. Millions of hatchlings are racing to the sea now from nests in the Gulf of Mexico and are likely to face oiled waters as they seek out Gulf currents.

“Kemp’s ridleys have struggled back from near extinction; they deserve more than dying in purposefully set oil fires,” said Carole Allen, Gulf Director and TIRN board member.
Turtle Island Restoration Network sounded the alarm about sea turtles being burned alive after a boat captain who had been rescuing sea turtles reported that BP started a burn operation before the rescue crew could survey the area and rescue the turtles. Since then the Obama administration has confirmed the burning of sea turtles by BP crews. BP is using “controlled burns” in an attempt to contain the spill. Boats create a corral of oil by dragging together fire-resistant booms and then lighting the enclosed “burn box” on fire. If turtles are not removed from the area before the fire is lit, they are burned alive.

“The spill was tragically timed for sea turtles that are nesting in the Gulf right now,” said Miyoko Sakashita, oceans director for the Center. “Newly hatched sea turtles are swimming out to sea and finding themselves in a mucky, oily mess. News that BP has blocked efforts to rescue trapped sea turtles before they’re burned alive in controlled burns is unacceptable.”
Today’s notice letter puts BP and federal agencies involved in the Deepwater Horizon response on official notice that their practices in the Gulf are resulting in the illegal and deeply inhumane deaths of threatened and endangered species, particularly the Kemp’s ridley sea turtle. The letter asks BP and the Coast Guard to place qualified observers in the Gulf of Mexico who can survey for, and rescue, endangered turtles and other wildlife.

As of today at least 429 sea turtles have been collected dead in the Gulf area since the oil spill due to oiled waters as well as capture in shrimp trawls. Many more have likely been injured or killed but not found. In addition to the Kemp’s ridley, four other endangered sea turtle species are found in the Gulf of Mexico: greens, loggerheads, hawksbills and leatherbacks. They rely on areas throughout the Gulf of Mexico for nesting, reproduction, feeding and migration. All of these turtles are at risk from poisoning from oil and careless controlled burns.

Carole Allen is the director of the Sea Turtle Restoration Project- Gulf Office and can be reached at carole@seaturtles.org.

New Nest in Galveston Makes 8!

2010-06-27T10:07:00.000-07:00

Today, 2 Kemp's ridley nests were found on the Texas coast, including one
on Galveston Island and one on Padre Island National Seashore

KEMP'S RIDLEY TURTLE
So far this year, 137 Kemp's ridley nests have been confirmed on the Texas
coast including (north to south in state):
Bolivar Peninsula 3
Galveston Island 8
Brazoria County, just north of Surfside 3
Surfside Beach 1
Quintana Beach 0
Bryan Beach 1
Matagorda Peninsula 2
Matagorda Island 2
San Jose Island 1
Mustang Island 4
North Padre Island 81, including 73 at Padre Island National Seashore
South Padre Island 28
Boca Chica Beach 3

LOGGERHEAD TURTLE
So far this year, 4 loggerhead nests have been confirmed on the Texas coast

Sea Turtle Nesting Report as of 18 Jun 2010

2010-06-24T21:08:00.000-07:00

KEMP'S RIDLEY TURTLE
So far this year, 135 Kemp's ridley nests have been confirmed on the Texas
coast including (north to south in state): Bolivar Peninsula 3, Galveston Island 7, Brazoria County, just north of Surfside 2, Surfside Beach 1, Quintana Beach 0, Bryan Beach 1, Matagorda Peninsula 2, Matagorda Island 2, San Jose Island 1, Mustang Island 4, North Padre Island 80, including 72 at Padre Island National Seashore, South Padre Island 28 ,Boca Chica Beach 3

LOGGERHEAD TURTLE

So far this year, 2 loggerhead nests have been confirmed on the Texas coast
including (north to south in state):

Mustang Island 1
North Padre Island 1, including 1 at Padre Island National Seashore
South Padre Island 0
____________________
Donna J. Shaver, Ph.D.
Chief, Division of Sea Turtle Science and Recovery
Padre Island National Seashore
National Park Service
http://www.nps.gov/pais/

Texas Sea Turtle Nestings Behind Previous Years

2010-06-24T07:41:00.000-07:00

Padre Island National Seashore reports fewer nests may be due to colder winter in 2009...LINK

STRP Speaks Up for Sea Turtles in BP Burn Area

2010-06-24T07:40:00.001-07:00

Link

BP Oil Burning Kills Sea Life- Rescuer Exposes Truth

2010-06-24T07:31:00.000-07:00

So-called burn boxes are torching oil from the water's surface at the sacrifice of turtles, crabs, sea slugs and other sea life... WARNING: Hard to watch. LINK

Rare Sea Turtle Mating Captured on Film

2010-06-24T07:28:00.000-07:00

This is a new film made of sea turtles actually mating. Its rare to capture on film.

Link