Information on sea turtle strandings is collected by hundreds of individuals in the United States and around the world. These data are used by local, regional and national resource managers to make decisions regarding fisheries, dredging operations, beach renourishment and other activities that have the potential to impact sea turtles. Accurate and timely delivery of data are crucial to making effective management decisions. The Sea Turtle Rehabilitation and Necropsy Database (STRAND) is an effort to streamline and improve the accuracy of the reporting process.

The North Carolina Sea Turtle Stranding and Salvage Network (STSSN) is helping to develop and test this new system. The North Carolina STSSN includes more than 700 participants who are required to report each stranding to the NC sea turtle coordinator within 24 hours of first observation. The initial report includes basic information including species, location, and condition of the turtle. As a follow-up, a complete standardized stranding report must be mailed to the coordinator as soon as possible; the coordinator then verifies the report and will correct any false or missing information.

If you are interested in using STRAND to facilitate sea turtle stranding reports in your region please contact Michael Coyne (mcoyne@seaturtle.org).