Marine Studies Team Frees 2 Sea Turtles Tangled In Equipment

COURTESY OF THE CENTER FOR COASTAL STUDIES: Center for Coastal Studies responders work to free entangled leatherback turtle.

PROVINCETOWN, Mass. (AP) — A marine coastal studies team has freed two leatherback sea turtles that became tangled in equipment in Cape Cod Bay, and warned mariners to watch out for more of them.

The Marine Animal Entanglement Response team at the Center for Coastal Studies said Saturday that there have been increased sightings of leatherback turtles, meaning they’ve likely moved into local waters to forage for jellyfish.

The team says mariners should look for entangled turtles and report the sightings immediately but stay at a safe distance from the animals.

A commercial fisherman Saturday reported a leatherback, about 400 pounds, caught by its neck and front flippers in a buoy line off Wellfleet. Recreational boaters off Truro spotted another turtle entangled in gear. Both had relatively minor injuries and are expected to recover.