The SE Louisiana coast is a mix of inhabitated and uninhabited barrier islands, marshes, and bays. Uninhabited islands to the east of Grand Isle and to the west of Port Fourchon are likely to have stranded sea turtles wash ashore but they are not likely to be reported unless a boater or wildlife observer working on these islands sees the stranded turtle and knows to report it to the STSSN. Due to the remote nature of these islands, additional and dedicated effort is needed to document and recover stranded sea turtles from these beaches. East Coast Observers will:
- conduct sea turtle stranding surveys
- document stranded sea turtles and salvage sea turtle carcasses according to protocols
- transport live stranded sea turtles to a USFWS-approved sea turtle rehabilitation facility or a designated meeting place and transport sea turtle carcasses to the STSSN State Coordinator or a designated meeting place
- provide stranding and survey data/forms to NFWF and NOAA