NEW YORK – Coast Guard Station Montauk crewmembers assisted in disentangling a leatherback turtle in Montauk, New York, Monday.
At 1:30 p.m., Coast Guard Sector Long Island Sound command center was notified that the fishing vessel Captain Ron was on scene with an entangled leatherback sea turtle in Fort Pond Bay.
A Coast Guard Station Montauk boat crew launched and arrived on scene aboard a 25-foot Response Boat-Small. The crewmembers found the turtle caught in a lobster pod line and were able to successfully cut the line and free the turtle.
The turtle showed no signs of injury and swam away.
“The turtle would have most likely died if the crew did not respond to assist,” said Petty Officer 3rd Class Matthew Foster, a crewmember at Station Montauk. “The line was around the turtle’s neck and fin and was getting tighter. We are glad we were able to execute the mission safely and release the trapped turtle quickly.”