The Nation - News from Nov. 27, 1988

At least 27 rare Kemp’s ridley turtles, an endangered species, have washed up dead along beaches in northeast Florida since Oct. 28, a Greenpeace spokeswoman said. “For this many to die and wash in is going to make a big dent in the population,” said Jan Johnson, national sea turtle coordinator for the environmental group. Johnson said more of the turtles have likely washed ashore at other area beaches, but have not been identified as Kemp’s ridleys. The Kemp’s ridley are the smallest of the sea turtles, usually growing no larger than 36 inches. Johnson blames the deaths on increased shrimping off the Georgia coast and northeast Florida. She said the creatures become ensnared in shrimpers’ nets and drown. Area shrimpers have denied they are to blame, asserting turtles are victims of dredging and floating plastic refuse, which they can ingest.