Yesterday Barbados Blue along with the Barbados Sea Turtle Project, the Barbados Coastal Zone Management Unit (CZMU) and the Ross University Veterinary School (in St. Kitts) completed day 1 of a 5 day Green Sea Turtle tagging exercise.

Andre Miller holding a Green Sea turtle for tagging

We were in Carlisle Bay, right in front of Barbados Blue’s dive center, and successfully captured, weighed, tagged, measured and drew blood samples from 10 turtles. The information is used for a plethora of reasons but include migration patterns, growth rates, age estimates and general turtle population health.

All turtles caught yesterday were juveniles who use the Bay area for feeding (mainly on sea grass) and as a safe place to rest.  When the Green Turtles are full grown (age similarly to humans and are not full grown until their late teen years) these turtles can reach several hundred pounds in size and can live as long as people!!

weighing a juvenile Green Sea Turtle

Because of the turtle’s proximity to shore this exercise is also a great reminder to the general public to keep the near shore water clean so our growing turtles don’t confuse food with discarded plastics and trash from the beach.

DON’T FORGET!! Underwater and beach clean-up scheduled for the PADI Project AWARE International Clean-up Day on Saturday September 19th. If you are interested in being a part of the effort please send us an email and check our blogroll/event calender for updates.

Daren from the BSTP holding a Green Sea Turtle with the Hilton in the background