New Treatment for Sea Turtles with Boat Strike Injuries

by · June 19, 2026

This juvenile green sea turtle was struck by a boat at Port Canaveral and rescued by STPS
volunteers Linda Rutland and Jerry Lemon in June 2022. Luckily, the green was successfully
rehabilitated and released back to the ocean in December 2022. Photo by Jerry Lemon.

Boat strikes are a significant threat to sea turtles, especially here in Florida. NOAA Fisheries estimates that hundreds to thousands of sea turtles are hit by vessels in the U.S. each year, and in Florida, 20 to 30 % of stranded sea turtles have boat strike injuries. (1) Furthermore, a 2025 study (2) analyzed data from the Sea Turtle Stranding and Salvage Network (STSSN) from 2010 through 2022 and found that the highest loggerhead vessel-strike injury cluster was in Brevard County with 229 loggerhead strandings. Most of these occurred between April and July during nesting season.

Florida Aquarium’s New Treatment for Boat Strike Injuries

The team at the Sea Turtle Conservation Program at the Florida Aquarium is now treating sea turtles with boat strike injuries with a new ointment that acts as a waterproof bandage which protects against infection. In addition, the ointment can stay on for several days at a time so the turtle doesn’t have to undergo as many bandage changes which can be stressful. Watch a juvenile green with a large cut on its plastron receive the treatment in this Spectrum News video: “Florida Aquarium Uses New Ointment to Treat Severely Injured Sea Turtle.” (3)

How to Prevent Boat Strikes

Please follow these tips from NOAA Fisheries (4) to avoid boat strikes:

  • Post a lookout for dolphins, manatees and sea turtles.
  • Drive slowly (5-10 knots) over shallow reefs and near harbors and boat launches.
  • Observe and follow all slow speed or no wake signs and zones.
  • Wear polarized sunglasses to help see and avoid sea turtles and marine mammals.
  • Be alert and aware of sea turtle nesting times when boating near beaches.
  • Never feed sea turtles so they don’t associate boats with food.

What To Do If You Find a Distressed, Sick, or Injured Sea Turtle:

  • If you are in Brevard County and see a sea turtle that is trapped, struggling, sick, or injured, or a hatchling crawling in the wrong direction, please call the STPS Emergency Hotline 321-206-0646. Be sure to provide the location (street address if possible), condition of the turtle, and your name. We will call you back on the phone number that you placed the call from. For more information, see the STPS Emergency Information webpage.
  • Everywhere else in Florida, please call the Florida FWC at 1-888-404-3922.

Sources:

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