Posted on August 15, 2025
Baton Rouge, LA – The Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA), the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF), and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) are utilizing a $25,000 grant from Shell to conduct sea turtle nesting surveys on the Chandeleur Islands for the fourth consecutive year.
Thanks to the collaborative effort, this year’s nesting surveys are yielding unprecedented results. So far, a total of 51 sea turtle crawls have been documented, including 33 Kemp’s ridley, 15 loggerhead, one green, and two unidentified species. These numbers document significant sea turtle nesting activity on Louisiana’s barrier island chain.
“We are seeing some outstanding results from this year’s sea turtle surveys,” said CPRA Chairman Gordon “Gordy” Dove. “We are up to 51 crawls this year, and the season isn’t over yet. I believe we are on track to document a record high number of successful nests.”
So far this season, the survey team has located and monitored many successful Kemp’s ridley sea turtle nests, which have produced more than 525 hatchlings. These nests represent only a portion of the successes occurring across the Chandeleur Islands, as there are believed to be more nests than biologists have observed. This year’s high nest success is a historic win for the world’s rarest and most endangered sea turtle, as 85% of nests found have hatched successfully.
“This season’s strong nest success magnifies the importance of investing in coastal restoration and wildlife protection,” said LDWF Secretary Tyler Bosworth. “LDWF remains committed to conserving Louisiana’s natural resources and supporting initiatives that deliver long-term ecological benefits.”
These milestones are closely tied to efforts to restore the Chandeleur Islands, a critical barrier island chain located within the Breton National Wildlife Refuge, which serves as vital habitat for nesting sea turtles, migratory birds, and marine life.
“At Breton National Wildlife Refuge and the Chandeleur Islands, restoration efforts are bringing hope for wildlife and the people who care about this coast,” said Mike Oetker, Regional Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Southeast Region. “Working with CPRA, LDWF, and Shell, we’re protecting sea turtle nesting grounds and helping keep Louisiana’s fish and wildlife abundant for generations to come.”
CPRA’s proposed Chandeleur Island Restoration Project aims to restore 13 miles of the barrier island chain, increasing its long-term resiliency and sustainability.
“The continued success we are seeing with these turtle surveys underscores the importance of our plans to restore the Chandeleur Islands,” said CPRA Executive Director Michael Hare. “These are exactly the kind of results we hoped to see when investing in barrier island restoration.”
This year’s survey work is funded by a $25,000 grant from Shell through the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Foundation and The Water Institute. The grant is part of a broader collaborative conservation initiative aimed at supporting habitat restoration and monitoring in coastal Louisiana.
“Shell is proud to support efforts that show how restoring Louisiana’s coast can help bring endangered species like sea turtles back to these critical habitats,” said Shell Corporate Relations Advisor Joni Tuck. “It’s exciting to see how this partnership is yielding tangible results for species that rely on a healthy Louisiana coast.”
This season’s success is a testament to the power of state, federal, and private partners working together to restore critical habitats and protect Louisiana’s coastal wildlife. This momentum offers hope for the continued restoration of the Chandeleur Islands and the long-term recovery of species that depend on them.
Funds for the current project design efforts are being provided by the Regionwide Trustee Implementation Group (TIG), which was established as part of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill settlement to manage restoration activities.
Construction for the project has been targeted for early 2026. CPRA is working to identify a funding source for the construction of the project, which is expected to exceed $350 million.
To learn more about the Chandeleur Island Restoration Project, visit https://coastal.la.gov/chandeleur-island-restoration-project/.
