Florida charter boat captain rescues sea turtle stuck in fishing trap off Venice Pier
Charter captain saves entangled sea turtle
A charter boat captain and his passengers sprang into action to save a sea turtle that was caught in fishing gear right off the Venice Pier.
VENICE, Fla. - A charter boat captain and his passengers sprang into action to save a sea turtle that was caught in fishing gear right off the Venice Pier.
Venice Pier sea turtle rescue
What we know:
Charter Captain John Perry, with Through the Guides, and his customers were on a boat right off the Venice Pier when they spotted a sea turtle caught on a buoy and a trap.
The group called the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to try to get the proper authorities to the scene.
Courtesy: John Perry, Through the Guides
Before officials arrived, Perry and his customers worked together to cut the line.
They successfully retied the buoy to the line, and the sea turtle swam down into the water.
Boaters help in rescue
Dig deeper:
The boaters hung out in the area for another 15 minutes to keep an eye on the turtle.
The animal appeared to be good to go, and the charter captain told us the FWC was happy with the outcome.
State wildlife emergency guidelines
What you can do:
FWC did post some tips for those who come across a sick, injured or dead sea turtle.
You're asked to call the 24-hour wildlife alert number at 1-88-404-FWCC (3922) to report the turtle.
They ask you to stay on site to monitor it and guide FWC officers to the exact location.
They also ask you to not remove any deeply embedded hooks or fishing lines yourself.
What we don't know:
At this time, it is unknown how long the turtle had been trapped before the charter boat arrived.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from a Facebook video detailing the rescue by the charter captain, as well as the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.