Is BP burning sea turtles alive?

Updated: Tuesday, 22 Jun 2010, 4:39 PM EDT
Published : Tuesday, 22 Jun 2010, 4:39 PM EDT

MyFoxTampaBay.com staff report

VENICE, La. - A boat captain working to rescue sea turtles in the Gulf
of Mexico says he has seen BP ships burning sea turtles and other
wildlife alive.

Captain Mike Ellis said in an interview posted on You Tube that the
boats are conducting controlled burns to get rid of the oil.

"They drag a boom between two shrimp boats and whatever gets caught
between the two boats, they circle it up and catch it on fire. Once the
turtles are in there, they can’t get out," Ellis said.

Ellis said he had to cut short his three-week trip rescuing the turtles
because BP quit allowing him access to rescue turtles before the burns.

"They're pretty much keeping us from doing what we need to do out
there," Ellis said.

Other reports corroborate Captain Ellis' claims. A report in the Los
Angeles Times describes "burn fields" of 500 square miles in which 16
controlled burns will take place in one day.

"When the weather is calm and the sea is placid, ships trailing
fireproof booms corral the black oil, the coated seaweed and whatever
may be caught in it, and torch it into hundred-foot flames, sending
plumes of smoke skyward in ebony mushrooms," the article says.

Ellis said most of the turtles he has seen are Kemps Ridley turtles, a
critically endangered species. Harming or killing one would bring stiff
civil and criminal penalties and fines of up to $50,000 against BP.

Watch the interview with Captain Ellis below: