Our research sampling sessions take us to prime green turtle feeding grounds, lush sea grass beds that lie nestled between the ledge flat reefs on the northern side of the island. A total of thirty days of sampling are committed to the Bermuda Turtle Project each year.

Once the study site of the day is reached, the large research vessel is anchored on the outer edge of the reef. The smaller work boat, towing a net boat and catch net, is loaded with team members.

The small work boat moves inside the reef. Sea turtles have an acute sense of hearing and are easily chased off by engine noise and other unusual sounds, so the approach to the site is made as quietly as possible.

The entrapment net is 610 meters (2,000 feet) long, 6.1 meters (20 feet) deep, and designed to entangle sea turtles. It is deployed in a large circle.

The project provides our volunteers with the opportunity to enjoy a day of education, science and recreation as snorkelers and turtle catchers on the project.

The role of the snorkelers and divers is to patrol the circumference of the net, remove tangled turtles, and bring them to the surface as quickly as possible.

The work boat is on hand within the net to retrieve the captured turtles.

Data on water temperature, depth and habitat conditions are recorded at each site and the exact coordinates are recorded with a Global Positioning System (GPS) to help us study habitat use.

Our average catch is four to five animals. Our record catch for a single set of the net is forty-one turtles. The work boat with turtles and crew then returns to the research vessel to which turtles are transferred for data collection. This includes tagging or re-tagging, measuring, weighing and blood sampling.

During the data collection process, the turtles are lined up on the deck. Recycled oil boom flotations or swim noodles, bent and strapped together, provide each turtle with a bed. Volunteers keep the turtles doused with cool salt water.

Each of our animals is double-tagged with a combination of plastic and metal tags. Each tag has a unique serial number, an address, and a reward message. About one-quarter of turtles encountered have been previously tagged by us and frequently, the old tags must be changed to a larger size.

Each turtle is carefully weighed and measured. Growth rates from recaptured tagged turtles help refine estimates of age at sexual maturity and help to determine the length of residency in Bermuda. Information on age at sexual maturity is critical for population models.

Blood samples taken from each turtle are used to determine the sex of the individual turtle and for genetic studies. Determination of sex ratios is important for estimating population structure.

Satellite transmitters, data storage tags and sonic tags attached to selected animals help us to understand more about sea turtle behaviour on the Bermuda platform. The satellite tags allow us to document migratory routes taken by green turtles when they leave the island for the next phase of their life's journey.

At the end of a day's sampling, it is always a favourite task of our volunteers to release each turtle back onto the site.

Since 1968, the use of this netting method has resulted in the capture of over 3,000 green turtles, including approximately 750 recaptures.