Green sea turtle photo-identification catalog: Southern California, 2023-2024

Since 1990, scientists from Southwest Fisheries Science Center (SWFSC) have monitored green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas), a federally listed and managed species, in coastal waters of Southern California, USA. The objective of this research program is focused on assessing the health, abundance, habitat use and population trends of green turtles in local waters. Between October 2023 and September 2024, under National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Scientific Research Permit #18238, the Marine Turtle Ecology and Assessment Program at SWFSC conducted field operations at two foraging grounds in (1) San Diego Bay (SDB), San Diego, California, and (2) Seal Beach National Wildlife Refuge (SBNWR), Long Beach, California.