Fishermen Battle Winds to Free 700-Pound Sea Turtle

When Brandon Watts headed out fishing in mid-June, he expected to catch cobia, not save a life. Instead, he and two friends found a 700-pound leatherback sea turtle desperately tangled in crab trap buoy lines near Buck Row Beach in Virginia's Chesapeake Bay.

"It seemed like he was crying for help, and my dad mode kicked in," Watts told WAVY TV 10. The three fishermen faced challenging conditions with 20 mph winds creating rocking waves that could slam their boat into the struggling turtle.

Watts carefully maneuvered close enough to assess the damage. The buoy lines had wrapped around the sea turtle's neck and flippers at least 10 times. Using a razor knife, he sliced through each twisted rope while friend Travis Cullipher kept the boat at a safe distance.

"I just couldn't leave him, knowing that he could wash up dead somewhere down the line," Watts said. "So I just had to do what I could do to get him free."

For Cullipher, a lifelong fisherman, the sight was unforgettable. "I've been fishing since I was a little kid, but I've never seen a turtle in distress like that," he said.

Abandoned fishing gear poses a serious threat to sea turtles worldwide. Just last year, the New England Aquarium rescued a 400-pound leatherback nicknamed "Phinney" from fishing gear in Cape Cod Bay, Massachusetts. Scientists attached satellite and acoustic tags to Phinney's shell before release, allowing researchers to track the turtle for up to ten years.

"It's critical that we understand the outcomes of leatherback sea turtles after they're disentangled from fishing gear," said research scientist Kara Dodge. The tracking technology helps scientists monitor survival and behavior across a network of underwater receivers stretching from Canada to Florida.

Why This Inspires

Watts and his friends exemplify the kind of everyday heroism that makes a real difference. They didn't create the problem of abandoned fishing gear in our oceans, but they chose to be part of the solution when it mattered most. Their quick thinking and careful rescue gave one ancient creature another chance at life in the wild.

Now anyone can follow rescued turtles like Phinney through the New England Aquarium's Sea Turtle Tracker, watching these conservation success stories unfold in real time.