A critically endangered Kemp’s ridley sea turtle was found hooked and entangled in a mixture of fishing line, leaders and seaweed.
In early October, Turtle Island Restoration Network coordinated the rescue of a critically endangered Kemp’s ridley sea turtle that was found hooked and entangled in a mixture of fishing line, leaders and seaweed. One flipper was on the verge of falling off and another tightly wound with line.
The sea turtle was found hooked and entangled in a mixture of fishing line, leaders and seaweed.
The endangered sea turtle was rescued by Buddy Guindon of Katie’s Seafood. After pulling the sea turtle on board his vessel to remove the line his wife, Katie Guindon, and Captain Hans took another boat out to transport the critically injured animal back to shore to NOAA National Marine Fisheries for rehabilitation.
The endangered sea turtle was rescued by Buddy Guindon of Katie’s Seafood.
The operation was coordinated by Turtle Island Restoration Network Gulf Program Coordinator Theresa Morris and Captain Scott Hickman of the Galveston Professional Boatman’s Association.
“We would like to send a huge thank you to Buddy Guindon of Katie’s Seafood who rescued an injured Kemp’s ridley sea turtle entangled in monofilament offshore yesterday,” said Turtle Island Restoration Network Gulf Program Director Joanie Steinhaus. “It takes many hands to rescue injured sea turtles, and since they are critically endangered, every single sea turtle is crucial to the survival of the species.”
If a sea turtle is accidentally hooked, Turtle Island Restoration Network asks anglers not to cut a line and not release sea turtles accidentally hooked while fishing, as this situation is often the outcome. Get the animal to shore with a net, and if on the upper Texas coast call the 866-TURTLE-5 hotline to have a biologist advise you how to safely handle the federally protected animal. Help us save sea turtles and utilize the hotline anywhere on the Texas coast.
