Suggestions From The Aqua Rescue-Program On What You Can Do To Protect Marine Animals

·     Be responsible with your litter: recycle and dispose of trash properly, including fishing line, cigarette butts, six-pack rings, plastic debris, and metal cans. 

• Participate in beach, stream, and roadside cleanups, even if it’s just one day a year.
• Keep a proper lookout when boating; sea turtles like to bask in the sun at the surface of the water, and can be slow to get out of the way of an approaching vessel, putting them at risk of boat strike injuries.
• Never release balloons. Balloons can fall into bodies of water, where animals confuse them for food or become entangled in them. 
• Dispose of oil and other hazardous materials properly, and never pour anything down storm drains. These connect directly to the waterways that lead to the ocean
• Use fertilizer for your lawn and garden sparingly, as these pollutants wash into waterways and out to sea.
• Keep your distance when you come into contact with a marine animal. All marine mammals and sea turtles are federally protected, and humans should remain 100 yards away from the animals. If an animal appears sick or injured, notify the appropriate authorities.
• Never feed wild animals. Human-fed marine animals change their normal wild behavior and run a greater risk of being injured by boats, becoming entangled in fishing gear, or ingesting dangerous items.

           www.aqua.org/care/rescue-program