Reporting of Sea Turtle Entanglement in Fishing Gear or Marine Debris - initial telephone calls

Greater Atlantic Region Sea Turtle Disentanglement Network (STDN)
Sea Turtle Disentanglement Guidelines
Initial Observation and Report
1) When the initial observer reports an entangled sea turtle, collect the following information:
a. Observer name and phone number*
b. Name of observing vessel
c. Type of vessel, e.g., fishing, private, ferry, etc.
d. Observing vessel cell phone number and/or radio call channel
e. Date and time of initial observation
f. Date and time of report, if different
g. Location, including latitude / longitude and locality details
h. Description of turtle for species identification
i. Condition of turtle- alive or dead- and how condition was determined
j. Description of entangling gear (rope, line, buoys, colors)
k. Entangling gear configuration on turtle (head, flippers, single wrap, multiple wraps)
l. Description of any visible injuries
m. Turtle behavior
n. Weather/sea conditions at the scene
* NOTE: if the initial observer is not the reporting party (i.e., the observer relayed information through the reporting
party), please collect name and contact information for the reporting party, as well.
2) Ask the reporting party the following questions:
a. Are you still on scene with the turtle? If not, when was it last seen?
b. How long can you stand by?
c. Can you stand by until an authorized disentanglement responder arrives? Provide caller with an
estimate for how long it will take for a responder to arrive on scene.
d. Are there other vessels nearby that could help stand by if needed?
e. Does the turtle appear to be anchored or making way? If making way, can you estimate its swimming
speed and direction?
f. Can you take photographs and video of the turtle and the gear?
NOTE: It is the recommendation of NOAA Fisheries Service (NMFS) that a trained and authorized member of the
STDN respond to entangled sea turtles. However, if a STDN member is unable to respond in a timely manner,
some federally-permitted fishermen are authorized to do so through their Fishery Management Plan’s
Endangered Species Act Section 7 consultation and associated biological opinion. For a list of fisheries and
fisheries research activities with a biological opinion that authorizes fishermen or researchers to disentangle sea
turtles, please contact William Barnhill at [email protected]. Fishermen must still comply with all
applicable regulations, including the sea turtle handling and resuscitation requirements. No other federallypermitted fishermen are authorized to disentangle sea turtles. Every sea turtle entanglement event must be
reported to NMFS and must receive a Sea Turtle Entanglement Report Form.
Reporting to NMFS, Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office (GARFO)
Report entanglement events to the GARFO stranding and entanglement hotline at 866-755-6622 or to the U.S.
Coast Guard on VHF Channel 16. GARFO must be notified prior to on-water disentanglement response.
Response
1) Approach
a. Avoid any line or gear in the water near the turtle.
b. Approach turtle slowly and carefully until the vessel is alongside, then stop the vessel, putting the
engine in neutral.

c.

Record the latitude / longitude and time when you arrive at the turtle’s location.

2) Assessment
Note the following information in order to devise an appropriate plan of action for close approach and
disentanglement.
a. Is the turtle moving, attempting to swim away from the vessel, or diving?
b. Does the turtle appear to be anchored or dragging the gear?
c. How often does the turtle surface?
d. Does it surface in a consistent direction?
e. How is the turtle entangled: flippers, head, or shell?
f. Identify the anchoring line, i.e. the line attached to the gear on the bottom.
g. Are there single or multiple wraps of line on the turtle?
h. Are the wraps restricting the turtle’s movement?
i. Are there any wounds associated with the entanglement? How serious are these injuries?
j. Take pictures and video of the turtle entangled in gear.
3) Disentanglement: The goal is to release the turtle free of all gear.

a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.

g.

SAFETY NOTES
 Do not get into the water with the turtle. Work from the vessel with the turtle in the water.
 Wear gloves to protect your hands.
 Be careful around powerful flippers, jaws, and claws.
 Leave the engine in neutral throughout disentanglement efforts.
Use a grapple or boat hook to reach the anchoring line below the turtle. Cleat the line to the vessel in
order to keep the turtle in close proximity without lifting it above the water. Holding this line also eases
the weight of the gear on the turtle.
Try to unwrap the gear from the turtle without cutting.
If the gear cannot be removed by unwrapping, cut the line to free the turtle.
Avoid cutting the turtle by pulling line away from the turtle with a boat hook or your hands before
cutting.
Cut the anchoring line LAST.
If active gear must be cut to free a turtle, attempt to reattach the cut ends so as to leave the gear
intact on site. If reattachment is not possible, try to collect all of the gear. Try to avoid creating derelict
gear by leaving partial gear or bottom gear without a surface buoy. Save all cut / removed gear for
analysis (see Documentation).
If you cannot free the turtle of all gear, report the last known location, including latitude / longitude and
locality details, wind and current speed and direction, and any identifying characteristics about the
turtle or gear. Report this information to the GARFO stranding and disentanglement hotline at 866755-6622 or to the U.S. Coast Guard on VHF Channel 16.

4) Release
a. Leave engine in neutral and release the turtle from the last line (the anchoring line).
b. Observe the turtle’s behavior after release. Did it dive and/or swim away or did it remain relatively
immobile at the surface?
c. Record the latitude / longitude and time of release.
d. Ensure that the turtle is safely away from the vessel before putting the engine in gear.
5) Documentation
a. The Sea Turtle Entanglement Report Form (STERF) must be filled out for every reported
entanglement event. Every effort should be made to immediately submit the STERF to NMFS.
b. Gear Collection
o Unless otherwise authorized, gear should only be collected if it is not actively fishing (i.e.,
only collect derelict, incomplete or displaced gear).
o Do not create derelict gear by collecting surface buoys, thereby leaving bottom gear
unmarked. Every effort should be made to send gear immediately to NMFS.
o If gear is not collected, please document all identifiable features (e.g., buoy colors, line
colors, traps / pots, ID numbers) with photos.
o When possible, please pull the pot up off the bottom to document with photographs.

c.

Photo or Video Documentation
o Photos and video should be sent to NMFS, ideally at the same time as submission of the
STERF.
o The following list indicates the photos and/or video that should be taken during each
entanglement event
 The sea turtle in the entangling gear, showing overall gear configuration and
confirming species;
 Close-ups of the entanglement site(s), showing any injuries and detailed gear
configuration; and
 Any identifiable features of the gear, e.g., buoy color, tags and/or numbers.
 Pot/ trap and associated trap tags if pulled up off the bottom.
 Video showing turtle behavior, especially upon release.
NMFS CONTACT INFORMATION:
Electronic submission of photos, video and STERFs (preferred means of submission):
[email protected]
Mailing address:
Photos, video, STERFs, and gear:
NOAA Fisheries Service, Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office, Protected Resources
Division Attn: Kate Sampson, Sea Turtle Disentanglement Coordinator
55 Great Republic Drive, Gloucester, MA 01930
Fax: 978-281-9394
Please address any questions to:
Ph: 978-282-8470, [email protected]

The collection of information on sea turtle entanglement is necessary to ensure sea turtles are being conserved and protected, as mandated by the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as
amended. This collection contributes invaluable data to management efforts. A Federal agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, nor shall a person be
subject to a penalty for failure to comply with an information collection subject to the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 unless the information collection has a currently valid
OMB Control Number. The approved OMB Control Number for this information collection is 0648-0496. Without this approval, we could not conduct this information collection. Public reporting for
this information collection is estimated to be approximately one hour per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the
data needed, and completing and reviewing the information collection. All responses to this information collection are voluntary. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other
aspect of this information collection, including suggestions for reducing this burden to NMFS, GARFO, Protected Resources Division, 55 Great Republic Drive, Gloucester, MA, 01930.

OMB Control No: 0648-0496; Exp Date: XX/XX/XXXX