Endangered Kemps Ridley Sea Turtle standing # 14

Kemp Ridley Sea Turtles are the smallest and most endangered of all the Sea Turtles.  While it is very rare at this point in time when an adult Kemps Ridley nest in South Carolina, they are more prevalent as juveniles in South Carolina.

A call came in from the Cherry grove Pier early in the afternoon, there was a Kemps Ridley Sea Turtle accidentally caught on a fishing line. They knew just what to do, the line was cut with a long amount of line so it could be secured to the carapace so it will minimize any further damage to internal organs.

If you do accidentally hook a Sea Turtle when fishing, please know you will not be in trouble for accidentally hooking a Sea Turtle. 

But what happens next could be mean the survival of the endangered Sea Turtle

If you are fishing on a pier and accidentally hook a Sea Turtle, please DO NOT pull them up on the Pier using just the line. This could cause great damage to the internal organs. Both Cherry Grove Pier and Apache Pier both have nets specifically designed to bring up the Sea Turtle with no more damage to the internal organs.  

If you are on shore and accidentally hook a Sea Turtle, please reel in very slowly as you don't want to cause any more damage surrounding the hooked area or internal organs.  

In both of these cases please do not release back into the Ocean. They need to be looked at by trained and Permitted Volunteers working with the DNR guidelines to determine if the need to be transported to the SC Sea Turtle Care center, again to be transported by trained and permitted Volunteers.

This little Kemps was named Flapjack by the SC Aquarium

All Sea Turtles are endangered, they are federally, and state protected.  Special training, guidelines and permits to work with Nesting Sea Turtles, Nest, Hatchlings and strandings

If you are in the NMB or Briarcliffe areas and encounter a Nesting Sea Turtle, Hatchling or Stranding please call:

NMB STP HOTLLINE

843-213-9074

ANY TIME DAY OR NIGHT