Sea Turtle Rescue Assistance and Rehabilitation Act of 2025

The Sea Turtle Rescue Assistance and Rehabilitation Act of 2025 would create a dedicated grant program to support rescue, rehabilitation, and rapid response for sea turtles. Administered by the Secretary of Commerce (in coordination with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service) and in consultation with relevant authorities, the program would provide grants to eligible entities to address sea turtle rescue efforts and rehabilitation, with criteria and oversight aligned to existing marine mammal grant programs but tailored specifically for sea turtles. Eligibility requires ESA authorization (or a cooperative ESA agreement), compliance with care standards for captive sea turtles, and adherence to data reporting requirements such as those used by the Sea Turtle Stranding and Salvage Network. In addition, the bill establishes two new Treasury funds to support emergency rescue efforts: the Sea Turtle Rescue, Rehabilitation, and Rapid Response Fund and the Joseph R. Geraci Marine Mammal Rescue and Rapid Response Fund. The act authorizes appropriations to fund these programs for fiscal years 2025–2030 and specifies that funds are for emergency assistance. It also assigns grant criteria and emphasizes rehabilitation of stranded sea turtles as a consideration. Overall, the bill aims to formalize federal funding, oversight, and coordination for sea turtle rescue and rehabilitation, alongside existing marine mammal rescue programs.