Leatherback turtle freed from lobster trap in Shediac Bay

A sailor on Shediac Bay freed a 300-kilogram leatherback sea turtle from lobster trap lines last week as sightings of these large reptiles entangled in nets are growing in southeastern New Brunswick.

Mark Daggett was enjoying an afternoon on his sailboat in Shediac Bay last week, when he came across a leatherback turtle that was trapped in the ropes attached to buoys.

We knew she didn't have much time, because she was pretty exhausted by the time we got to her, Daggett said.

Leatherback sea turtles are an endangered species and are known as the largest of all living turtles and the fourth largest reptile in the world.

Daggett estimates the one he helped in Shediac Bay weighed more than 300 kilograms.

Daggett said he pulled his sail boat up beside the turtle and started the cutting rope from the turtles neck and flippers.

It took about 90 minutes to free the giant turtle.

She swam about 15, 20 feet, went under, came back up, slapped the water and she was gone, he said.

Daggett said it was a very busy period of time as he released the turtle from the trap. But once it was over, he said he realized how fortunate he was to see the sea turtle.

To see the size of this thing and to be able to touch it and to feel like a leatherback feels like, it just all hit at once, he said.

I wasn't able to appreciate or enjoy any of it as I was trying to free it. But the minute she was gone, she was safe and everything was well and there was no lines left and we were sure everything was great, we were able to just sit there for a while and say, Wow, was that eversomething else.

5 leatherback turtles rescued

Daggetts experience is not unique this year, according to one expert.

The Canadian Sea Turtle Network says the turtles are in Canadian waters later than usual this year.

The arrival of these turtles coincides with lobster season, which has resulted in more reports of entanglements.

Kathleen Martin, the executive director of the Canadian Sea Turtle Network, said lobster fishing season and leatherbacks swimming the NorthumberlandStrait in search of food can be a dangerous combination.

Because the turtles are here a bit later than they might normally be, we're hearing more about this sort of thing happening, she said.

Martin said Daggetts discovery is the fifth case of trap entanglement that she has heard of in the Maritimes in the last few weeks. In another case, two Prince Edward Island fishermen and Fisheries and Oceans Canada staff helped free a turtle last week.

The sea turtles, which are the most abundant in Atlantic Canada between July and October,are expected to head south, some swimming as far as Trinidad very soon.