A shrimp boat captain in Louisiana hired by BP was blocked from rescuing juvenile Kemp's ridleys that were covered in oil in the Gulf waters. He was captured on video saying that the turtles are being collected in the clean-up efforts and burned up like so much ocean debris with other marine life gathering along tide lines where oil also congregates.
He witnessed BP workers burning turtles caught in the oil booms. Rescue efforts are being ended tomorrow.
STRP's Gulf Director Carole Allen responded to the news by saying "The burning of boom and oil when even one sea turtle was seen in the water is a despicable crime."
STRP's Chris Pincetich has been in communication with both the reporter who shot the interview and the Captain who witnessed the illegal killing of sea turtles, and is making arrangements to ensure that sea turtle rescue efforts are not stopped, and can be performed in areas with boomed oil.
Our supporters sent thousands of emails that have already started changes in operations. Pilot projects are in place to increase biological observers on boats near the deadly "Burn Boxes." We need your help now to tell federal officials in Washington D.C. and BP response officials to rescue ALL sea turtles from the boom and burn cleanup that is killing endangered sea turtles. Go here to help: http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/1723/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=4174