Demand an end to the senseless killing of turtles drowning in crab traps.
ALL commercial and recreational crab traps should have MANDATORY TURTLE EXCLUDER RELEASE DEVICES to prevent any more drowned turtles, like this horrific scene.
Dozens of turtles washed up dead at this Jersey Shore beach.
It was a disturbing scene.
On Memorial Day morning, more than 80 turtles were found dead on the Sea Isle City, washed ashore after being caught in a single crab trap.
News of the mass turtle death was first reported on Thursday by Sea Isle News.
The carnage was found on the beach near 11th Street by an unidentified woman, according to Steele. The woman alerted beach patrol to the dead turtles, all diamondback terrapins.
The beach patrol reached out to residents Steve Ahern and Susan Ahern for assistance. Steele said the couple has "made it their goal in life to save the turtles."
Since the turtles had not begun decomposing on the beach, its most likely that they drowned recently, Steve Ahern said. The trap that snagged them was large, and both Steele and Ahern said it looks like a commercial crab trap rather than a smaller recreational device.
The turtles were out of the trap when found, Steele said, with 68 in one cluster and the rest scattered nearby. Steve Ahern said they found no surviving turtles.
Under a 1998 state law, crab traps set in narrow bodies of water must include terrapin excluder devices on all entrances.
However, excluders are not required for deep water traps, and Steele said he believed this particular trap broke away from a deep-water mooring and floated to shore.
Ahern stressed that all crab traps should have the excluders installed, noting that the devices are inexpensive and bait shops will often install them for free.
These beautiful turtles deserve to live out their lives in peace, without getting caught and dying in crab traps that don't have a release device. Demand that All crab traps, commercial and recreational, contain a turtle excluder release device to prevent any more senseless turtle drownings.
