Sea Turtle Strandings in the Gulf of Mexico

Increase in Sea Turtle Strandings

Since March 15, 2011, a notable increase in sea turtle strandings has occurred in the northern Gulf of Mexico, primarily in Mississippi. While turtle strandings in this region typically increase in the spring, the recent increase is cause for concern. The Sea Turtle Stranding and Salvage Network (STSSN) is monitoring and investigating this increase.

Data

Data are compiled through the efforts of network participants who document sea turtle strandings in their respective areas and contribute those data to the centralized STSSN database.
Sea Turtle Strandings Documented in 2011 in AL, LA, and MS
Updated through April 7, 2011

Alabama Strandings	January 2011	February 2011	March 2011	April 2011	2011 Total
Loggerhead	0	1	1	1	3
Green	2	0	1	0	3
Kemp's ridley	0	0	4	1	5
Unidentified	0	0	3	10	13
Total	2	1	9	12	24
Louisiana Strandings	January 2011	February 2011	March 2011	April 2011	2011 Total
Loggerhead	1	0	3	0	4
Green	0	2	0	2	4
Kemp's ridley	0	2	14	5	21
Unidentified	1	0	3	0	4
Total	2	4	20	7	33
Mississippi Strandings	January 2011	February 2011	March 2011	April 2011	2011 Total
Loggerhead	0	0	0	0	0
Green	1	0	1	1	3
Kemp's ridley	2	1	47	31	81
Unidentified	0	0	0	0	0
Total	3	1	48	32	84

Map of Sea Turtle Strandings in the Gulf of Mexico (2011)

This map represents the sea turtle strandings documented from January 1, 2011- April 7, 2011 for which location information has been received. Each species is shown in a different shape.

(click for larger image)

FAQs

What is the STSSN?
The Sea Turtle Stranding and Salvage Network (STSSN) was formally established in 1980 to collect information on and document strandings of marine turtles along the U.S. Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic coasts. The network encompasses the coastal areas of the 18 states from Maine through Texas, and includes portions of the U.S. Caribbean.
What is a "stranding"?
Strandings are defined as turtles that wash ashore, dead or alive, or are found floating dead or alive (generally in a weakened condition).
What is causing the increase in strandings?
There are many possible reasons for the increase in strandings in the Northern Gulf of Mexico, both natural and human caused. We are working with the STSSN and the states to investigate potential causes, including:

• fishing activities that may result in turtle bycatch and mortality
• biotoxins, such as harmful algal blooms, which can occur in the Gulf of Mexico
• possible impacts from the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill

Efforts are underway to collect sea turtle carcasses for examination to try to determine the cause of death. A cause of death in sea turtles is often difficult to pinpoint, especially in carcasses that are not fresh. Most sea turtle carcasses wash ashore moderately or severely decomposed and some are too decomposed to provide meaningful information.
What has been learned so far from the ongoing investigations?
NOAA scientists have necropsied 26 turtles (25 Kemp's ridley turtles and 1 green turtle) recovered in Mississippi from March 11 through March 31, 2011. Most were moderately or severely decomposed, indicating that they had likely died within one week of discovery. No visible external or internal oil was observed in these animals.
Of the 26 turtles, 7 had major traumatic injuries (6 consistent with watercraft strikes and 1 consistent with an internal hooking injury). The remaining 19 turtles had no external traumatic injuries, were in good nutritional condition, had evidence of sediment aspiration/drowning, and had fish in the digestive tracts. Sea turtles typically do not prey on live fish, but will scavenge dead fish, most often available as discarded dead bycatch or as a result of fish kills. There was no gross evidence that an infectious disease or a chronic/underlying disease was the cause of their death.
Based on these findings, the two primary considerations for the cause of death of these 19 turtles are forced submergence or acute toxicosis.
The only known plausible cause of forced submergence that could explain this event is incidental capture in fishing gear. We are assembling information regarding fisheries operating in the area during and just prior to these strandings.
NOAA scientists are testing sea turtle tissue samples for biotoxins of concern in the northern Gulf of Mexico, which is a standard measure in marine animal mortality investigations. Current environmental information does not indicate a harmful algal bloom of threat to marine animal health is present in the area.
What sea turtle species can be found in the area?
There are 5 species of sea turtles known to inhabit the waters of the Gulf of Mexico and U.S. Atlantic, and all are protected under the Endangered Species Act:

• loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta)
• green turtle (Chelonia mydas)
• Kemp's ridley turtle (Lepidochelys kempi)
• hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata)
• leatherback turtle (Dermochelys coriacea)

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