Grant: 25-016C
Project Title: Carcass Freezer and Cooler for Clearwater Marine Aquarium
Project Manager: Kerry McNally
Organization: Clearwater Marine Aquarium (Non-Profit Organization)
Grant Amount: $31,372.97
Completion Date: 2026-02-28
Summary: Clearwater Marine Aquarium (CMA) is authorized by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) to conduct stranding/salvage activities and conduct necropsies of marine turtles. In order to conduct these activities, a walk-in freezer and cooler to store carcasses are necessary. The freezer allows CMA to store carcasses that are salvaged, store carcasses for future necropsies (either by CMA or educational facilities), and store turtle parts remaining after necropsies until disposal. The cooler is essential for storing carcasses briefly (<48 hours) until necropsy or to thaw frozen carcasses so that a necropsy can be performed. During Hurricane Helene in September 2024, CMA flooded with 4 ft of bay and sewage water, which damaged the current carcass freezer and cooler, requiring significant repairs. This project will allow CMA to repair the freezer and cooler which is necessary to restore operations of CMA's salvage and necropsy program.
Results: Thanks to the generous support of the Sea Turtle Grant Program, Clearwater Marine Aquarium (CMA) was able to repair our walk-in carcass freezer and cooler that were damaged during Hurricane Helene in 2024. The repairs occurred in October and November 2025, returning CMA's operations for sea turtle carcass storage and thawing. The repair work included replacement of the damaged condensers and evaporators for both the freezer and cooler, as well as replacement of compromised electrical components. To help protect the equipment from future flooding impacts, both units were also elevated more than six feet above ground level. This project was completed under budget by $9,294.47. The second repair company provided reduced pricing, and the scope of the electrical work originally estimated was lower than expected. Unspent funds were returned to the Sea Turtle Grants Program.