Protecting sea turtles, their habitats, and the reefs that sustain them.
About Us
Based in North Palm Beach, Florida, the National Sea Turtle Foundation has supported sea turtle research, education, and conservation since 1987. Our work connects scientists, divers, and community partners to keep Florida’s coastal ecosystems healthy.
What we focus on:
- Education and Awareness
- Research
- Conservation
- Scholarship Programs
The Florida Hawksbill Project
Because hawksbills depend on healthy coral reefs, this research directly informs our reef-conservation efforts along Florida’s coast.
Bella's Rescue
What we learned:
- Entanglement is preventable.
- Debris sits on reefs where the public can’t reach it.
- Certified divers are the ones who can remove it safely.
Local divers off Palm Beach discovered a resident hawksbill turtle with its front flipper tightly entangled in fishing line — the injury was so severe that the flipper had to be amputated. Because hawksbills stay in relatively small territories, our team was able to locate her and bring her to Loggerhead Marinelife Center for treatment.
“Bella” survived, but her injury made one thing very clear: discarded fishing line and gear on our reefs are a constant threat to turtles and other marine life.
Reel It In for the Reefs
In response to the growing amount of fishing gear on our reefs, the foundation created Reel It In for the Reefs, an annual diver-led cleanup spanning South Florida. The event brings together commercial dive boats, local dive shops, and volunteer divers to remove fishing line, plastic, and other debris from both natural and artificial reefs.
What began with 8 dive boats and 150 divers removing more than 750 lbs of debris in one morning has grown to 25 boats and 400+ divers from Martin through Miami-Dade counties.
Data-Driven Cleanup
All debris recovered during the event is sorted, weighed, and documented following established marine-debris protocols. Cleanup data is submitted to SeaFan (Florida DEP’s nonprofit program), PADI AWARE, and is counted as part of Keep America Beautiful’s Great American Cleanup. Fishing line is recycled through Coastal Connections in Vero Beach.
Want to help protect Florida’s reefs?
Divers, boat operators, sponsors, and educators are all part of this effort.