PORTSMOUTH, Va.— The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Block Island in partnership with the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission will release six sea turtles into the Gulf Stream Thursday.
The turtles will be transferred aboard the Block Island at approximately 8 a.m. before the cutter departs on a patrol.
While underway, the crew will release the turtles into the Gulf Stream.
“The protection of living marine resources is one of our most important missions here in North Carolina,” said Lt. Trey Flusche, commanding officer of the Block Island. “Releasing rehabilitated turtles is just a different facet of that mission.”
Homeported at Fort Macon in Atlantic Beach, N.C., the Block Island is a 110-foot Island class patrol boat with a 17-person crew.
The crew is responsible for conducting law enforcement, search and rescue, homeland security and marine environmental protection off the coastal waters from the southern border of North Carolina to the northern end of New Jersey.
