Erin LaCasella

Erin is a scientist with the Marine Turtle Genetics Program and Lead Coordinator of Sea Turtle Strandings for Marine Turtle Ecology & Assessment Program (MTEAP) at SWFSC. She also is a key member of MTEAP’s aerial survey team. While receiving a BS degree in Ecology, Behavior, and Evolution from the University of California, San Diego, Erin joined the Marine Turtle Program in 2000. Her primary focus is to conduct essential research on sea turtle species using molecular genetic techniques to assist in the management and conservation of marine turtle populations. She is the lead of many mitochondrial DNA research projects that contribute to our ability to determine the baseline for nesting populations, identify stock origin of individuals and population stock structure. When conducting field research, she assists with capturing green turtles in San Diego Bay and monitoring of leatherback nesting beaches in St Croix, USVI. Erin is the lead aerial survey coordinator for our Central California leatherback research project and has extensive experience conducting aerial surveys for leatherback turtles and marine mammals in central and northern California. Erin is also responsible for managing and coordinating the import/export of all marine turtle samples under Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) for the Marine Turtle Genetics Program and MTEAP.