Fishermen Help Free 700-Pound Leatherback Sea Turtle Tangled in Crab Pot Lines

A day of fishing on the Chesapeake Bay turned into a powerful act of kindness when Virginia fisherman Brandon Watts and his friends came across a leatherback sea turtle in need of help.

In mid-June, Watts was out on the water with friends hoping to catch cobias, a large predatory fish that can grow up to 6 feet long. But near Buck Row Beach, the group noticed something unusual in the water.

“We think we were around Buck Row Beach, and we’d seen something struggling in the water,” Watts told WAVY TV 10.

What they found was a 700-pound leatherback sea turtle tangled in crab pot buoy lines. The turtle was caught around its neck and flippers, with the lines wrapped around it at least 10 times.

“It seemed like he was crying for help, and my dad mode kicked in, and I just went right to town,” Watts said.

The rescue was not simple. The fishermen were dealing with 20 mph winds and choppy water, which meant they had to approach with patience and care. Getting too close could have pushed the boat into the turtle, so the group worked together to keep both the animal and the crew safe.

Watts moved close enough to reach the ropes and began cutting through them with a razor knife. One by one, he sliced away the tangled lines until the turtle was finally free.

“I just couldn’t leave him, knowing that he could wash up dead somewhere down the line, so I just had to do what I could do to get him free,” Watts said.

While Watts worked, his friend Travis Cullipher stayed at the helm, carefully managing the boat’s position in the rough water.

“I’ve been fishing since I was a little kid, but I’ve never seen a turtle in distress like that,” Cullipher said.

For Watts, the moment was also a reminder of how much good people can do when they choose to act.

“They didn’t ask for all that stuff to be in that water,” Watts added. “So anything you can do helps.”

The rescue highlights both the danger abandoned fishing gear can pose to marine animals and the difference quick-thinking people can make. Crab trap buoy lines, fishing hooks, nets, and other discarded gear can become serious hazards for sea turtles, including leatherbacks.

Other rescue efforts have shown similar compassion. In 2018, a leatherback sea turtle became caught in a crab pot buoy about 50 feet below the surface before a boat full of fishermen helped rescue it.

In 2024, the New England Aquarium Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life responded to another leatherback in Cape Cod Bay, Massachusetts. That turtle, weighing about 400 pounds, had also become wrapped in fishing gear.

“The turtle had a rope entanglement around the shoulder region of its right front flipper, but fortunately it was detected quickly, and the gear was still loose with minimal damage to the flipper,” Dr. Melissa Joblon, the aquarium’s director of animal health, said in a press release.

“Overall, the turtle appeared healthy, active, and in great body condition, so we suspect it will do very well after release.”

That turtle was affectionately nicknamed “Phinney” by local Cape Cod Bay responders. Before being released back into the bay, scientists attached satellite and acoustic tags to its shell, allowing researchers to follow its movements and learn more about how leatherbacks do after being rescued.

The tracking system can monitor released turtles for up to 10 years through underwater receivers stretching from Canada to Florida.

“It’s critical that we understand the outcomes of leatherback sea turtles after they’re disentangled from fishing gear,” said Kara Dodge, an Anderson Cabot Research Scientist. “We’re using satellite and acoustic tags to monitor their post-release survival and behavior over time.”

Today, sea turtles like Phinney can be followed through the New England Aquarium’s Sea Turtle Tracker.

From the Chesapeake Bay to Cape Cod, these rescues show the good that can happen when people notice an animal in trouble and step forward to help.