Turtle Strandings Research Articles

Strandings of sea turtles on beaches around the oil capital in Brazil

The south-western region of the Atlantic Ocean has feeding and nesting areas for the five species of sea turtles registered in Brazil, which are in different degrees of extinction threat, mainly due to anthropogenic factors. Fishing and the ingestion of solid waste, were identified as causing stranding and the mortality of sea turtles. In this work, data from the monitoring of beaches in the Municipalities of Macaé and Rio das Ostras, important oil zone in Brazil, in the north-central region of the State of Rio de Janeiro, were used in order to analyse the effects of seasonality on the sea turtle stranding. The monitoring was carried out daily from September 2017 to June 2019, in a study area covering 23.8 km long beach. Stranding data were obtained from active (n = 126) and passive (n = 66) monitoring of beaches and included the records of Chelonia mydas (n = 151), Caretta caretta (n = 23), Lepidochelys olivacea (n = 14), Dermochelys coriacea (n = 2) and Eretmochelys imbricata (n = 1). The largest stranding record occurred in the summer (n = 61) and spring (n = 60), a period compatible with the reproductive season of the species. The results obtained in this study emphasise the importance of the analysis of strandings of sea turtles, which provide relevant data on the biology of the group, the intra and interspecific dynamics and the state of conservation of these animals.

Sea turtle strandings along a semiarid coast in the western equatorial Atlantic

AbstractFor decades, the Brazilian north-east coast has been a recognized feeding area for five sea turtle species. However, it still lacks information about stranding patterns. A decade of a beach monitoring programme (from 2010–2019) provided information on the composition, abundance and spatio-temporal distribution of stranded sea turtle species along a semiarid coast in the western equatorial Atlantic. A total of 905 individuals of four species were recorded in a route of ~130 km. The most stranded group was the juvenile green turtles (Chelonia mydas), followed by Lepidochelys olivacea, Eretmochelys imbricata and Caretta caretta. The strandings present a seasonal and geographic pattern, and therefore any conservation measure to be implemented must consider these patterns. Also, the possible occurrence of fibropapillomatosis tumours calls for additional studies to understand its causes. Lastly, stranded sea turtles eventually show marks of fishery interaction, which indicate the need for environmental education programmes with fishing communities.

Use of intravenous lipid emulsion therapy as a novel treatment for brevetoxicosis in sea turtles

The southwest coast of Florida experiences annual red tides, a type of harmful algal bloom that results from high concentrations of Karenia brevis. These dinoflagellates release lipophilic neurotoxins, known as brevetoxins, that bind to sodium channels and inhibit their inactivation, resulting in a variety of symptoms that can lead to mass sea turtle strandings. Traditional therapies for brevetoxicosis include standard and supportive care (SSC) and/or dehydration therapy; however, these treatments are slow-acting and often ineffective. Because red tide events occur annually in Florida, our objective was to test intravenous lipid emulsion (ILE) as a rapid treatment for brevetoxicosis in sea turtles and examine potential impacts on toxin clearance rates, symptom reduction, rehabilitation time, and survival rates. Sea turtles exhibiting neurological symptoms related to brevetoxicosis were brought to rehabilitation from 2018–2019. Upon admission, blood samples were collected, followed by immediate administration of 25 mg ILE/kg body mass (Intralipid® 20%) at 1 mL/min using infusion pumps. Blood samples were collected at numerous intervals post-ILE delivery and analyzed for brevetoxins using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. In total, nine (four subadults, one adult female, four adult males) loggerheads (Caretta caretta), five (four juvenile, one adult female) Kemp’s ridleys (Lepidochelys kempii), and four juvenile green turtles (Chelonia mydas) were included in this study. We found that plasma brevetoxins declined faster compared to turtles that received only SSC. Additionally, survival rate of these patients was 94% (17/18), which is significantly higher than previous studies that used SSC and/or dehydration therapy (47%; 46/99). Nearly all symptoms were eliminated within 24–48 h, whereas using SSC, symptom elimination could take up to seven days or more. The dosage given here (25 mg/kg) was sufficient for turtles in this study, but the use of a higher dosage (50–100 mg/kg) for those animals experiencing severe symptoms may be considered. These types of fast-acting treatment plans are necessary for rehabilitation facilities that are already resource-limited. Intravenous lipid emulsion therapy has the potential to reduce rehabilitation time, save resources, and increase survival of sea turtles and other marine animals experiencing brevetoxicosis.

Use of Drift Studies to Understand Seasonal Variability in Sea Turtle Stranding Patterns in Mississippi

Stranded sea turtles provide valuable information about causes of mortality that threatens these imperiled species. Many potential factors determine whether drifting sea turtles are deposited on shore, discovered by people, and reported to stranding networks resulting in successful documentation. We deployed 182 sea turtle cadavers and 115 wooden effigy drifters with affixed GPS-satellite tags to study stranding probability in the northern Gulf of Mexico (nGOM) in an effort to better understand seasonal stranding variations in this region. Public reports of beached carcasses were recorded to determine reporting rates. Season and distance from shore greatly influenced beaching results. During winter months when strandings are infrequent and sea turtle abundance is likely low in cold nearshore waters, carcasses had an 80–90% probability of beaching. Beaching probability was reduced to 37–50% during the spring, which is the period of greatest strandings in this region. During summer months when relatively few strandings are documented, the probability of a carcass beaching dropped to only 4–8%. Low summer stranding rates were coincident with higher rates of decomposition (7%) attributed to warmer water temperatures, more frequent scavenging (69% of carcasses), and shifting wind and current patterns which drive carcasses offshore or to remote locations. As waters cooled in the fall, probability of carcasses beaching increased to 40–48%, coincident with a small pulse in strandings that often occurs during this period. Only 28% of carcasses and effigies came ashore on mainland beaches and were easily available for discovery by the public, 49% were on barrier islands that are publicly accessible and 23% beached in dense salt marshes where discovery would be unlikely. The 47% of objects that did not beach included those lost at sea and carcasses that were likely scavenged or decomposed. Only 22% of beached carcasses were reported due to infrequent (11%) reporting on barrier islands. Notably, only 50% of carcasses deposited on mainland beaches were reported, which was lower than anticipated. We recommend additional efforts to increase reporting rates of carcasses by the public and use of dedicated surveys to detect stranded sea turtles, especially on barrier islands in this region.

Leatherback turtles (Dermochelys coriacea) in the Gulf of Venezuela: An update stranding assessment 2001-2014

Leatherback turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) is highly impacted by fisheries’ bycatch worldwide. This study updates and estimates the leatherback turtle stranding records from 2001 to 2014 in the Gulf of Venezuela. Eighty-six stranded leatherback turtles were documented in the coast of the Gulf of Venezuela. Immature leatherback turtles were the most affected (85.1%) and the highest number of strandings were recorded during the dry season (55.8%). Our findings represent the minimum estimate of stranding events for the Gulf of Venezuela, especially considering the current lack of fisheries regulations. This is the latest update for the leatherback turtle strandings in the Gulf of Venezuela and could help to create new management solutions in the area aiming to minimize the impact on leatherback turtle populations in the Caribbean.

Outcomes of 4819 cases of marine animals presented to a wildlife rehabilitation center in New Jersey, USA (1976\u20132016)

Understanding marine animal stranding patterns can aid rehabilitation efforts and evaluations of ecosystem health. The goal of this retrospective study was to identify factors associated with outcome of marine animals presented to a rehabilitation facility in Brigantine, New Jersey, USA. Records of 4819 phocids, cetaceans, and sea turtles were reviewed. Taxa, age, sex, season, and outcome (natural death, euthanasia, transfer to another facility, and successful release) were recorded for each case. Binary logistic regression was employed to identify predictors associated with release, and a multivariate logistic regression model was developed to evaluate whether the association between taxa and chance of release persisted after adjustment for the other variables. Phocids were most likely to strand during winter. Phocids and sea turtles that stranded alive were more likely to be released than to die under care or be euthanized. Taxa, age, and season were all significantly associated with the probability of release. These results provide a reference for phocid, cetacean, and sea turtle stranding and rehabilitation in part of the mid-Atlantic region. Critical evaluation of wildlife rehabilitation is indicated to audit the success of efforts and to assess threats to free-ranging populations.

INVITED ARTICLE FROM THE 2021 TEXAS ACADEMY OF SCIENCE TEXAS DISTINGUISHED SCIENTIST

Donna Shaver is the Chief of the Division of Sea Turtle Science and Recovery at Padre Island National Seashore and the Texas Coordinator of the U.S. Sea Turtle Stranding and Salvage Network. She received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the International Sea Turtle Society in 2018, the 2013 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Endangered Species Recovery Champion Award for Agency Partner in 2014, the Corpus Christi Caller Times 2011 Newsmaker of the Year in 2012, and she was the ABC World News Tonight’s Person of the Week on July 29, 2005. She has studied Texas sea turtles since 1980 and is well known for her leadership role in the recovery of the critically endangered Kemp’s ridley sea turtle. Her studies describing sea turtle migratory and foraging habitat use, as well as nesting and stranding trends, have led to increased protections for sea turtles in Texas and beyond. With over 400 scientific publications and presentations, Shaver is distinguished as one of the top sea turtle biologists in the USA and was named the 2021 Texas Distinguished Scientist at the annual meeting of the Texas Academy of Science. Shaver oversees a variety of sea turtle research and conservation projects conducted in Texas, collaborates with other researchers in the USA and Mexico, and provides training and leadership to hundreds of biologists and volunteers working with sea turtles in Texas.

Long-term insights into marine turtle sightings, strandings and captures around the UK and Ireland (1910–2018)

AbstractWith over a century of records, we present a detailed analysis of the spatial and temporal occurrence of marine turtle sightings and strandings in the UK and Ireland between 1910 and 2018. Records of hard-shell turtles, including loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta, N = 240) and Kemp's ridley turtles (Lepidochelys kempii, N = 61), have significantly increased over time. However, in the most recent years there has been a notable decrease in records. The majority of records of hard-shell turtles were juveniles and occurred in the boreal winter months when the waters are coolest in the North-east Atlantic. They generally occurred on the western aspects of the UK and Ireland highlighting a pattern of decreasing records with increasing latitude, supporting previous suggestions that juvenile turtles arrive in these waters via the North Atlantic current systems. Similarly, the majority of the strandings and sightings of leatherback turtles (Dermochelys coriacea, N = 1683) occurred on the western aspects of the UK and the entirety of Ireland's coastline. In contrast to hard-shell turtles, leatherback turtles were most commonly recorded in the boreal summer months with the majority of strandings being adult sized, of which there has been a recent decrease in annual records. The cause of the recent annual decreases in turtle strandings and sightings across all three species is unclear; however, changes to overall population abundance, prey availability, anthropogenic threats and variable reporting effort could all contribute. Our results provide a valuable reference point to assess species range modification due to climate change, identify possible evidence of anthropogenic threats and to assess the future trajectory of marine turtle populations in the North Atlantic.

An Interview-Based Approach to Assess Angler Practices and Sea Turtle Captures on Mississippi Fishing Piers

During 2010 – 2015, the Mississippi Sea Turtle Stranding and Salvage Network (STSSN) documented 1,073 sea turtles, primarily juvenile Kemp’s ridleys (Lepidochelys kempii), incidentally caught by recreational anglers. Due to increases in interactions, an angler interview survey was conducted during 2013 at six Mississippi fishing piers. Anglers were interviewed about fishing practices and sea turtle interactions. Interviewers conducted outreach and distributed Rehabilitation Hotline business cards. Angler participation was 86%, and over 60% used J-hooks and were not targeting specific species, which was similar to data collected from incidental captures reported to the STSSN. Over 58% of anglers used dead shrimp followed by cut up fish for bait. This greatly differs from STSSN reported captured sea turtles where 60% were caught on cut up fish and only 6% on dead shrimp. Over 18% of participants captured at least one sea turtle in the last 12 months. Anglers stated that nearly half of the sea turtles were taken for rehabilitation, 41% were released by the angler and 10% broke the line and swam away. Only 60% of anglers reported the capture because many were unaware they should report it. During and after the survey period, there was an increase in reported incidental captures, possibly indicating outreach is an effective means of increasing awareness and reporting. Recently, NOAA Fisheries developed a survey that can be used nationally to conduct similar research. We recommend conducting angler surveys every few years unless there is a noticeable change in incidental capture trends or angler practices.

Sea turtle strandings, sightings and accidental catch along the Croatian Adriatic coast

The northern Adriatic Sea has long been known as the foraging and developmental habitat of loggerhead sea turtles. Previous literature on stranded, floating, sighted, and accidentally caught sea turtles is fragmentary and mainly obtained from this shallower northern part. This work presents data on 272 records of stranded, floating, sighted and accidentally captured turtles within the entire Croatian Adriatic. The data was collected through the national stranding network for strictly protected marine species run by the Croatian Agency for the Environment and Nature during a six-year period (2010-2015). We focused on analysing spatial and temporal observations, age structure, and reporting sources. The collected morphometric data revealed that most measured C. caretta (85%) were immature individuals found stranded and floating at sea. These observations were location-dependent with a tendency towards the shallow northern areas (≤200 m). Most of the stranded individuals were severely decomposed preventing the determination of possible mortality causes. Most non-decomposed individuals had fishery- or boat-inflicted mechanical injuries confirming fishing activities and boat collisions as threats to young C. caretta individuals in the Croatian Adriatic Sea. Results also revealed an important contribution of local people in reporting the C. caretta strandings and sightings whereas most accidentally caught individuals were reported by unknown sources. Altogether, the data presented in this paper indicate possibilities for improving the ongoing sea turtle monitoring and conservation activities along the entire Croatian Adriatic coast.

First study of sea turtle strandings in Algeria (western Mediterranean) and associated threats: 2016–2017

Between December 2015 and December 2017 a total of 63 sea turtles were recorded as being stranded along the Algerian coast. The loggerhead sea turtle Caretta caretta was the most commonly stranded species (n = 44) (69.8%), followed by the leatherback Dermochelys coriacea (n = 18) (28.6%) and the green turtle Chelonia mydas (n = 1). There was a slight dominance of the adult size class for stranded loggerhead turtles, while, for the leatherback, late juveniles and adults prevailed. Most loggerhead turtles stranded during the summer months (July and August), whereas most leatherbacks stranded during winter. The breakdown of the strandings by region shows a slight dominance along the western and central shores for C. caretta and a clear dominance in the west for D. coriacea. The primary cause of death was determined in 50.8% of the stranded turtles. Regarding the evidence of interactions with humans the major cause of stranding in loggerhead turtles was incidental catch by artisanal fisheries, followed by boats’ collisions. The main causes of leatherback strandings were boats’ collisions. Algerian data show that human activities affect loggerhead turtles and also prove a significant presence of the leatherback turtle on this coast.

High incidence of sea turtle stranding in the southwestern Atlantic Ocean

AbstractSea turtles are globally threatened due to short- and long-term exposure to anthropogenic activities. Many life-history traits make it difficult to study these species in the wild. Stranding events provide invaluable data to infer key aspects of sea turtle ecology, such as regional occurrence, health status, mortality rates, and potential threats. In this study, we investigate spatial and temporal patterns of sea turtle occurrence and mortality in the southwestern Atlantic Ocean based on a systematic, large-scale survey programme covering 1040 km of coastline during 732 d of two consecutive years. From the 12 571 animals recovered, juvenile green turtles were the most common (90.4%), but four other species were also recorded. A significant non-linear effect of time and space in the number of stranding events was observed. The most parsimonious mixed linear model further indicated that stranding events were influenced by individual (sex, size), health (body condition, pathologies, decomposition), and oceanographic factors (chlorophyll-a, sea surface temperature, salinity, wave height). More than simply describing the spatiotemporal occurrence and aspects of sea turtles’ life history in an otherwise understudied area, this intensive field study provides evidence for relatively high mortality rates—an essential baseline information for guiding conservation efforts.

Virginia Beached Sea Turtle Survey

Sea turtles around the world are threatened with extinction, largely due to human activities. To better protect sea turtles, we need to improve our understanding of the activities that threaten them. However, we often do not know the cause of sea turtle deaths, making it difficult to help protect them. This is the case in the Chesapeake Bay, USA, where hundreds of dead sea turtles are found washed up on beaches each year. In this study, researchers investigated these events, known as sea turtle strandings, to better understand why sea turtles in this region are dying. First, they carried out experiments to predict when and where sea turtles died at sea. This information was then used to identify potential causes of sea turtle mortality. The results of the study suggest that high sea turtle mortality occurs at the entrance of the Bay, where many human activities take place.

Using Random Forest Algorithm to Model Cold-Stunning Events in Sea Turtles in North Carolina

AbstractSea turtle strandings due to cold-stunning are seen when turtles are exposed to ocean temperatures that acutely and persistently drop below approximately 12°C. In North Carolina, this syndrome affects imperiled loggerhead Caretta caretta, green Chelonia mydas, and Kemp's ridley Lepidochelys kempii sea turtle species. Based on oceanic and meteorological patterns of cold-stunning in sea turtles, we hypothesized that we could predict the daily size of cold-stunning events in North Carolina using random forest models. We used cold-stunning data from the North Carolina Sea Turtle Stranding and Salvage Network from 2010 to 2015 and oceanic and meteorological data from the National Data Buoy Center from 2009 to 2015 to create a random forest model that explained 99% of the variance. We explored additional models using the 10 and 20 most important variables or only oceanic and meteorological variables. These models explained similar percentages of variance. The variables most frequently found to be important were related to air temperature, atmospheric pressure, wind direction, and wind speed. Surprisingly, variables associated with water temperature, which is critical from a biological perspective, were not among the most important variables identified. We also included variables for the mean change in these metrics daily from 4 d before the day of stranding. These variables were among the most important in several of our models, especially the change in mean air temperature from 4 d before stranding to the day of stranding. The importance of specific variables from our random forest models can be used to guide the selection of future model predictors to estimate daily size of cold-stunning events. We plan to apply the results of this study to a predictive model that can serve as a warning system and to a downscaled climate projection to determine the potential impact of climate change on cold-stunning event size in the future.

Twenty-three Years of Sea Turtle Stranding/ bycatch Research in Taiwan.

Coastal sea turtle stranding and bycatch are common phenomena worldwide and have received more attention in recent years. They are caused by both natural and anthropogenic factors. One thousand and seventy-two turtles were reported to be victims of these phenomena from March 1997 to November 2019 in Taiwan. Number of stranding/bycatch were variable and infrequent for the first 14 years, but increased each year after 2012 and peaked in 2019 with 217 cases. Most turtles were juveniles to subadults. All five of Taiwan's species were reported in stranding and bycatch records, and the green turtle was reported the most common. The main reported seasons lasted from winter to spring, when the weather changes dramatically. The sex ratio (female: male) ranged from 7 in the hawksbill turtle to 0.7 in the olive ridley, with an average of 2.4 for all species. Green turtles were the dominant stranded species, and more loggerhead turtles were by-caught. The hotspots were the towns of Dougou and Tochen in Yilan County, and Gongliao District in New Taipei City, located in NE coast of Taiwan respectively. Stranding was the more common of the two phenomena reported, and 80% of all stranded turtles were subadult green turtles. Eighty percent of all stranded/bycaught turtles were dead. Pond-nets were the fishing gear that accounted for the most bycatch, and captured mainly living young and subadult green turtles as well as subadult loggerhead turtles. The hotspots for bycatch were the towns of Dongou and Tochen in Yilan County. The Coast Guard and concerned citizen were the main sources of reports. This is the first study to analyze the long-term stranding/bycatch of sea turtles in Taiwan.

Spatio‐temporal distribution of sea turtle strandings and factors contributing to their mortality in south‐eastern Brazil

Abstract Data on stranded sea turtles were examined between 2010 and 2016 along the northern region of Rio de Janeiro state and between 2016 and 2017 in the southern region, looking for spatio‐temporal patterns and determining which factors contributed to their mortality. A total of 12,162 strandings of all five species that occur in Brazil were recorded, with Chelonia mydas being the most common (89.9%). Sea turtles use the Rio de Janeiro coast as a feeding and/or migration area. The intense upwelling (October to April) may be an important factor for the sea turtles feeding in this region, mainly for Eretmochelys imbricata and Dermochelys coriacea, which had a higher number of strandings during this period. Areas further north of the study area include an important nesting site for Caretta caretta in Brazil, which explains the higher concentration of strandings of subadults/adults of this species in this region and during its nesting season. Many anthropogenic threats to sea turtles were documented, mainly incidental capture in fisheries and marine debris, indicating possible hotspots for these threats in the regions of Sepetiba and Guanabara Bays, Cabo Frio, and São Francisco de Itabapoana. Among the natural causes of strandings, the primary factors were chronic illness, endoparasites, and fibropapillomatosis. However, pollution may also be an indirect threat, which negatively affects these animals through reduced health and immunosuppression, leaving them more susceptible to opportunistic diseases. These data are valuable for directing and implementing specific and local mitigation measures along the Rio de Janeiro state coast, such as avoiding bycatch hotspots through fleet communication programmes and/or area and seasonal closures, enforceable legislation, effective penalties and proper waste management.

On simulating cold-stunned sea turtle strandings on Cape Cod, Massachusetts.

Kemp's ridley sea turtles were on the verge of extinction in the 1960s. While these sea turtles have slowly recovered, they are still critically endangered. In the last few years, the number of strandings on the beaches of Cape Cod, Massachusetts has increased by nearly an order of magnitude relative to preceding decades. This study uses a combination of ocean observations and a well-respected ocean model to investigate the causes and transport of cold-stunned sea turtles in Cape Cod Bay. After validating the model using satellite-tracked drifters and local temperature moorings, ocean currents were examined in Cape Cod Bay in an attempt to explain stranding locations as observed by volunteers and, for some years, backtracking was conducted to examine the potential source regions. The general finding of this study is that sub 10.5°C water temperatures in combination with persistently strong wind stress (>0.4 Pa), results in increased strandings along particular sections of the coast and are dependent on the wind direction. However, it is still uncertain where in the water column the majority of cold-stunned turtles reside and, if many of them are on the surface, considerable work will need to be done to incorporate the direct effects of wind and waves on the advective processes.

Are oil spills a key mortality factor for marine turtles from the eastern coast of the United Arab Emirates?

Though relatively rare events, oil spills can have devastating impacts on marine resources. In this study, from August 2015 to December 2018, we monitor turtle strandings/mortalities as well as nearshore oil spills on the eastern coast of the United Arab Emirates to determine if they are linked. This involved 73 marine turtle strandings of four species and 17 oil spills. The results show an increase in stranding frequency after a spill enters shallow coastal waters. Months with lower oil spill frequencies had fewer strandings, while months with higher spill frequencies were associated with more strandings. 31.9% of all strandings were discovered within 10 days following a spill. Additionally, some of these stranded turtles showed signs of interaction with oil, including oil on and inside their bodies and positive buoyancy disorders. The results suggest that oil spill frequency may have an important influence on marine turtle health in the Gulf of Oman coast of the UAE.

Sixteen Year (2002-2017) Record of Sea Turtle Strandings on Samandağ Beach, the Eastern Mediterranean Coast of Turkey.

Bektaş Sönmez (2018) Data on stranded sea turtles allow us to obtain information about age classes, temporal and spatial distributions, and mortality rates in turtles. This study aims to investigate life stages, temporal variation in the number of stranded, body size trend, causes of stranding, and scute deviation of stranded sea turtles on Samandağ Beach, the eastern Mediterranean coast of Turkey during 2002-2017. A total of 302 stranded dead turtles were found. Among these, 167 (55.4%) of them were Chelonia mydas, 127 (42%) Caretta caretta, 2 (0.6%) Trionyx triunguis, and 6 individuals (2%) were unidentified. The mean annual stranding values over the years were 10.5 (ranging from 6 to 22) and 7.9 individuals (ranging from 4 to 21) for C. mydas and C. caretta, respectively. Although the adult green turtles were less stranded, sub-adult and adult stages of the loggerhead turtles were intensively stranded. As the body size of the stranded green turtle has slightly increased, the number of stranded green turtles has decreased over the years. Stranding of loggerhead turtles showed no trend in frequency or body size. The causes of death showed significant differences between the two species as well as among the years. Fishing activities and marine pollution is the main cause of strandings on Samandağ Beach. Oceanic and sub-adult stage individuals were stranded in especially high numbers due to plastic materials. Adult stages in both sea turtle have less carapacial scute deviation. The present study contributes to the stranded data for both sea turtle species in the Mediterranean. Natal origins of the stranded sea turtles on Samandağ Beach should be investigated and a stranding network system should be urgently established.

Likely locations of sea turtle stranding mortality using experimentally-calibrated, time and space-specific drift models

Sea turtle stranding events provide an opportunity to study drivers of mortality, but causes of strandings are poorly understood. A general sea turtle carcass oceanographic drift model was developed to estimate likely mortality locations from coastal sea turtle stranding records. Key model advancements include realistic direct wind forcing on carcasses, temperature driven carcass decomposition and the development of mortality location predictions for individual strandings. We applied this model to 2009–2014 stranding events within the Chesapeake Bay, Virginia. Predicted origin of vessel strike strandings were compared to commercial vessel data, and potential hazardous turtle-vessel interactions were identified in the southeastern Bay and James River. Commercial fishing activity of gear types with known sea turtle interactions were compared to predicted mortality locations for stranded turtles with suggested fisheries-induced mortality. Probable mortality locations for these strandings varied seasonally, with two distinct areas in the southwest and southeast portions of the lower Bay. Spatial overlap was noted between potential mortality locations and gillnet, seine, pot, and pound net fisheries, providing important information for focusing future research on mitigating conflict between sea turtles and human activities. Our ability to quantitatively assess spatial and temporal overlap between sea turtle mortality and human uses of the habitat were hindered by the low resolution of human use datasets, especially those for recreational vessel and commercial fishing gear distributions. This study highlights the importance of addressing these data gaps and provides a meaningful conservation tool that can be applied to stranding data of sea turtles and other marine megafauna worldwide.