Environmental Assessment on NOAA's Coordination and Continued Operation of the Sea Turtle Stranding and Salvage

NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), Office of Protected Resources (OPR) leads the administration and coordination of the National Sea Turtle Stranding and Salvage Network (STSSN). The STSSN currently responds to, and documents, sick, injured and dead sea turtles that are found in coastal areas under U.S. jurisdiction along the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico. Although the STSSN has been in operation for several decades, the National Coordination role formally shifted to the Office of Protected Resources in January 2022, which prompted an evaluation of STSSN operations, development of a formal Operating Procedures document, which are subject to this National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) review.