Sea Turtle Week is June 13–17, 2022! Join us in celebrating these marine reptiles and our work to conserve them. Swimming in Earth’s oceans for hundreds of millions of years, sea turtles lead incredible lives and survive for many decades at sea. They can travel thousands of miles in search of food, eventually returning to the beaches where they were born to nest.
Sea turtles are a key part of marine ecosystems worldwide, but they face many threats today. Six sea turtle species are found in U.S. waters and all are threatened or endangered. The largest among them—the Pacific leatherback—is one of NOAA Fisheries' Species in the Spotlight. This initiative is a concerted, agency-wide effort launched in 2015 to spotlight and save the most highly at-risk marine species.
Explore sea turtle features and videos below. Stay tuned all week to learn more about how NOAA conserves and protects sea turtle populations and how you can help, too.
Sea Turtle Features
Podcast: Exploring Solutions for Sea Turtle Bycatch
This Sea Turtle Week, we talk with Barb Schroeder, National Sea Turtle Coordinator, about bycatch innovations that are helping sea turtles thrive and how we work with fishermen to reduce bycatch.
Sea Turtle Week 2022: Celebrating Sea Turtle Conservation
We kick off Sea Turtle Week with a message from Kim Damon-Randall, Director of NOAA Fisheries Office of Protected Resources. This year our celebration highlights the impacts of climate change on sea turtles, how sea turtles hear and why our understanding their hearing is important, and what you can do to protect sea turtles.
Sea Turtles in a Sea of Sound
Understanding how sea turtles hear and respond to sound is the first step in understanding the impacts of ocean noise on these protected species.
How sea turtles hear and why it's important to their conservation
Sea Turtles in Alaska? Yes, We Have Them In the Far North!
Check out sea turtle species you might encounter in Alaska and steps to protect them.
See the sea turtles species you might encounter in Alaska
7 Sea Turtle Facts for the Ocean Lover
Sea turtles are fascinating creatures. Learn some facts about these much loved marine reptiles.
Sea turtle facts for the ocean lover
What Can You Do to Help Save Sea Turtles?
Learn what actions you can take to help save sea turtles.
See actions you can take to help protect sea turtles
Hawaiʻi Sea Turtles Are Amazing—from Afar
This nesting season, remember to view sea turtles respectfully. How? We’ve got some ideas for you.
How to can view sea turtles respectfully
Sea Turtle Videos
Sea Turtles: Is the Future Female?
New research uncovers alarming trends for the future of sea turtle populations. Watch the video below to learn more.
Go Slow: Sea Turtles Below
See how Brian Stacy, a veterinarian who works with the National Sea Turtle Program, examines sea turtle health, welfare, and mortality. Part of his work involves investigating causes of sea turtle strandings, which are often caused by vessel strikes.
