“Threatened” Green Sea Turtle Shot with Spear Gun

St. Croix Times Staff

St. Croix - A Green Sea Turtle which is considered “Threatened” due to human and natural impacts was apparently shot recently with a spear gun in a malicious manner by some brutal or careless individual. 

The Sea Turtle Assistance and Rescue (STAR) team was contacted about a Sea Turtle in distress near the Frederiksted Pier in St. Croix. Divers sent photos to STAR’s Sea Turtle stranding hotline of a Green Turtle with a fishing spear through its neck.   

STAR team members were able to capture the turtle and were successful in carefully removing the spear. Fortunately, the turtle exhibited no signs of lasting damage, and the wound was treated on site. After monitoring the turtle to ensure it was no longer bleeding and was displaying normal behavior, the STAR team quickly released it back into the water. 

Green Sea Turtles are considered Threatened by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) which are the primary agencies responsible for issuing Endangered and Threatened designations in the U.S.  The United States Virgin Islands (USVI) are home to three species of nesting Sea Turtles: Greens, Hawksbills, and Leatherbacks. Green Sea Turtles may be found foraging on seagrass beds throughout the Territory’s coastal waters and nesting on beaches from June through November. It is imperative and crucial their populations are protected in the USVI.

So far this year, five Sea Turtle strandings in the U.S. Virgin Islands have been linked to fishing activity. A stranding is when a Sea Turtle is found dead, injured, or exhibiting distress. In cases related to fishing, strandings can include Sea Turtles entangled in discarded fishing line, hooked on rod and reel, caught in nets, and injured as a result of spearfishing. 

Improper use of fishing gear puts Sea Turtles at risk of injury or death. If you accidentally catch or injure a Sea Turtle during fishing activities, please call STAR immediately. There is no penalty for reporting, and your quick action can help save the turtle. 

To help prevent interactions between turtles and fishing gear, STAR urges the fishing community to properly dispose of gear and practice responsible fishing by never leaving your fishing gear unattended. Sea Turtles in the USVI are protected under the Endangered Species Act which makes it illegal to harm, harass, or injure them in any way. Violations can result in severe fines and may include jail time. 

STAR is a nonprofit organization of government agencies, local nonprofits, veterinarians, and dedicated volunteers. STAR operates across all three U.S. Virgin Islands, and responds to any Sea Turtle or hatchlings that are injured, trapped, entangled, disoriented or dead.

To report a Sea Turtle to STAR please call 340-690-0407 and be ready to provide detailed information about the location of the stranding, the condition of the turtle (alive or dead), and a description of the size and any visible injuries. For more information on STAR and Sea Turtle conservation efforts in the USVI, please visit: stxturtles.com/sea-turtle-rescue or find us on Facebook and Instagram (star.usvi).