Conserving Marine Turtles on a Global Scale 2004

Conserving RautkariWWF/Maurai Marine Turtles on a Global Scale WWF-Canon / Roger LeGuen WWF-Canon / Roger LeGuen WWF WWF/Anja Burns 2004 2nd Edition This publication attempts to describe the global scope of WWF’s marine turtle work as fully as possible.There may be individual projects which have not been included, due to information gathering restraints, in this first publication.Any omissions or errors are entirely unintentional.

WWF’s mission is the conservation of nature. Using the best available scientific knowledge and advancing that knowledge where we can, we work to preserve the diversity and abundance of life on Earth and the health of ecological systems by • protecting natural areas and wild populations of plants and animals, including endangered species; • promoting sustainable approaches to the use of renewable natural resources; and • promoting more efficient use of resources and energy and the maximum reduction of pollution. We are committed to reversing the degradation of our planet’s natural environment and to building a future in which human needs are met in harmony with nature.We recognize the critical relevance of human numbers, poverty, and consumption patterns to meeting these goals.

Acknowledgements: This publication was prepared by Liz McLellan with the collaboration of Kim Davis,Amanda Nickson, Carlos Drews, Sarah Humphrey, and many others in the WWF Network, and was supported by the WWF US Marine Conservation Program.

For more information: WWF International Species Programme WWF International +44-1483-412567 Ave. du Mont Blanc [email protected] CH-1196 Gland www.panda.org Switzerland

WWF’s vision for the future is that ...

Marine turtles worldwide are protected and restored to healthy levels reflecting their intrinsic values, role in ecosystem functioning and benefits to people.

Over the next 10 years, the goal of WWF’s global efforts is ….. the reduction of threats to marine turtles from the loss and degradation of their critical habitats, from the impacts of unsustainable use, and from incidental capture (by-catch).

Objectives Objective 1 Reducing the loss and degradation of critical marine turtle habitats.

Objective 2 Reducing unsustainable use and illegal trade in marine turtles and turtle products.

Objective 3 Reducing the negative impact of

by-catch on marine turtles. Denton WWFÐCanon/Peter

1 CONSERVING MARINE TURTLES ON A GLOBAL SCALE 2004

Conserving Marine Turtles on a human interferences, and turtles suffer extensive Global Scale mortality at all ages, leading to increasingly regular population crashes. Six of the seven 1. INTRODUCTION recognized marine turtle species are considered Since its foundation in 1961,WWF has supported by IUCN–The World Conservation Union– to be numerous marine turtle conservation efforts endangered, three of those critically endangered. worldwide. Much of the early work involved The main threats to turtles on beaches are egg mapping the distribution of nesting beaches, collection, turtle collection (for shells and meat), with surveys in more than 40 countries. Other development (lighting, armoring, catchments projects focused on survival of eggs and disturbance), egg predation by native and hatchlings, establishment of protected areas, introduced animals, as well as destruction of research into marine turtle biology, ecology nesting habitat.The main threats to turtles in and behaviour, monitoring the trade in turtle the water are collection (for shells and meat), products, investigating the threats from fisheries, fisheries bycatch (coastal gill nets, long lines and sponsoring international conferences and and other gear), ghost nets, disease and workshops on marine turtle conservation.WWF degradation of foraging habitats. assisted in the creation of what was to become the IUCN/SSC Marine Turtle Specialist Group, and supported the first World Conference on the A number of issues contribute to the Conservation of Marine Turtles in 1979. Because complexity of marine turtle conservation: of the great mobility of these animals, marine turtles are vulnerable throughout their ranges • Life-cycle characteristics that make marine turtles particularly vulnerable to habitat degradation and to a myriad of threats, including intentional overexploitation hunting/trapping and incidental capture in fishing gear.WWF continues to support national • Extraordinary migratory habits, the conservation efforts to conserve marine turtles, and is also of which requires concerted action by many increasingly focusing on regional approaches to nations, sometimes across ocean basins conservation in the Mediterranean, Indo-Pacific, • Limited resources and capacity, and sometimes eastern Pacific and Caribbean, and Africa and political will, to manage turtle populations Madagascar. • Lack of comprehensive data on life histories and WWF’s Global Framework for Marine Turtle threats upon which to base management and Conservation relies on regional approaches to conservation decisions operationalise its work, and to magnify the efforts • Lack of information amongst communities and on the ground through regional and international decision-makers about marine turtle biology, interventions and opportunities.WWF has conservation status and management needs completed action plans for its work in the Asia Pacific Region,Africa and Madagascar, and Latin • Lack of appreciation of the current and potential America and the Caribbean, and is working at value of marine turtles for coastal communities and ecosystems many sites in those regions. WWF also works at sites through the Mediterranean. In total,WWF • Lack of regional, national and local coordination has active projects or supports local partners in amongst stakeholders marine turtle conservation in over 40 countries. • Inadequate legal instruments and enforcement Large and diverse human-related impacts • Increasing coastal population growth, poverty have undermined the ability of many turtle and resource use conflicts populations to maintain viable population sizes. Under natural conditions, turtles suffer high • Climate change. hatchling and juvenile mortality, but those that survive grow into long-lived adults with little adult mortality. Unfortunately, conditions now are anything but “natural”, with a wide range of

2 CONSERVING MARINE TURTLES ON A GLOBAL SCALE 2004

In order to address these threats and issues, and achieve its three global objectives for marine turtle conservation, WWF works around the world through such actions as: • Reducing over-exploitation of turtles for meat, parts, eggs, and shells and promoting non-consumptive alternatives • Working with fisher folk, scientists , governments and international organizations to reduce incidental catch in fisheries • Establishing and strengthening protected areas around nesting beaches and critical marine habitats • Involving local communities in monitoring, protecting and managing turtles and their nests • Promoting implementation of regional and international agreements to conserve marine turtles • Increasing the scientific understanding of turtle population trends, migration, genetics and value.

Conservation Status of Marine Turtles

Marine turtle species IUCN Red List (2003) A CITES listing B CMS listing C

Leatherback turtle Critically Endangered Appendix I Appendix 1 & 2 (Dermochelys coriacea)

Hawksbill turtle Critically Endangered Appendix I Appendix 1 & 2 (Eretmochelys imbricata)

Kemp’s ridley turtle Critically Endangered Appendix I Appendix 1 & 2 (Lepidochelys kempii)

Loggerhead turtle Endangered Appendix I Appendix 1 & 2 (Caretta caretta)

Olive ridley turtle Endangered Appendix I Appendix 1 & 2 (Lepidochelys olivacea)

Green turtle Endangered Appendix I Appendix 1 & 2 (Chelonia mydas)

Flatback turtle Data Deficient Appendix I Appendix 2 (Natator depressus)

A) IUCN 2003. 2003 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. www.redlist.org B) The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora www.cites.org C) The Convention on Migratory Species of Wild Animals www.unep-wcmc.org/cms

3 CONSERVING MARINE TURTLES ON A GLOBAL SCALE 2004 WWF/Anja Burns Hawksbill turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata) The hawksbill turtle is a medium-sized cheloniid, usually less than 1m in length and weighing 40-60kg. Nesting occurs widely throughout the range, but tends to be more dispersed than in other species.The significance of isolated breeding colonies is that a depleted population will not be replenished by immigration from WWF-Canon / Roger LeGuen elsewhere. Extirpation of a population will result Leatherback turtles (Dermochelys coriacea) in irreversible loss of genetic diversity.As with The leatherback turtle is the largest marine turtle other species, E. imbricata is threatened by the and one of the largest living reptiles, growing to loss of nesting and feeding habitats, excessive 180 cm and weighing up to 500 kg. Leatherbacks egg-collection, fishery-related mortality, pollution, are the most migratory of all marine turtle and coastal development. Despite their current species, making both trans-Atlantic and protection under the Convention on International trans-Pacific crossings. Recent estimates of Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and leatherback numbers show that this species is Flora (CITES), as well as under many national in severe decline throughout its range. Current laws, there is still a disturbingly large amount of scientific thinking is that populations of illegal trade in E. imbricata shells and products. D. coriacea in the Indian and Pacific Oceans This, compounded by intensive historical over- cannot tolerate even moderate levels of adult harvesting for shells, probably constitutes the mortality, and are now facing imminent major threat to the species. extinction. Pacific leatherback turtles are the most endangered populations of turtles worldwide, with less than an estimated 3,000 nesting females remaining. In the 1980s, there were 90,000 leatherbacks in the eastern Pacific alone. Global extinction is considered to be only a matter of time unless adult mortality can be reduced and survival of eggs and hatchlings increased. WWF/Steven Morello WWF/Steven Kemp’s ridley turtles (Lepidochelys kempii) Kemp’s ridley turtles are relatively small marine turtles, reaching around 70 cm. Nesting of this species occurs conspicuously in broad daylight, and apart from sporadic nesting elsewhere, takes

4 CONSERVING MARINE TURTLES ON A GLOBAL SCALE 2004

place only on one 20 km beach at Rancho Nuevo collected and eaten in many parts of the world. in Mexico on the Gulf of Mexico. In the past, tens The main cause of mortality is believed to be of thousands of females nested simultaneously at through fisheries by-catch. the beach, a true arribada (mass nesting event). Nowadays arrivals are numbered in the hundreds. There was massive exploitation of eggs until this species received protection in 1965.The nesting population crashed from more than 40,000 turtles coming ashore in a single day in the late 1940s to a few hundred females nesting in an entire season in the late 1980s.As a result of an enormous conservation effort to protect all nests produced at Rancho Nuevo and the required use of Turtle Excluder Devices (TEDs) to reduce capture in fishing nets, the species is undergoing a remarkable recovery, although nesting numbers are still low. Tamar Projeto WWF/Arquivo Olive ridley turtles (Lepidochelys olivacea) The olive ridley looks very similar to the Kemp’s ridley, but has a deeper body and slightly up-turned edges to its carapace. Olive ridleys grow to an average length of 70cm, and adults weigh approximately 45kg. Olive ridley populations are in sharp decline due to a familiar list of causes including poaching of eggs, beach development, fishing, and pollution.The belief that turtle eggs have aphrodisiac properties is a major threat to olive ridley populations in Central and South America. Like the Kemp’s ridley turtle,

WWF/Anja Burns the olive ridley will always be vulnerable because such a large proportion of its reproductive effort Loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta) is concentrated in only a few locations. Human- Loggerheads are among the largest cheloniid caused or natural disturbances to nesting turtles, sometimes measuring over a meter in beaches and internesting areas can have huge length and weighing up to 180 kg, with repercussions on the whole population. characteristically large heads and strong jaws. Loggerheads are widely distributed in coastal waters, mainly in subtropical and temperate regions and travel large distances following major warm currents such as the Gulf Stream and California Current.As with leatherbacks, loggerheads are highly migratory, making some of the longest journeys known of all marine turtle species. Nesting beaches are distributed in more temperate latitudes than those of other marine turtles. Loggerheads are less likely to be hunted deliberately than other marine turtles: their meat is considered less desirable than that of the green turtle, and the shell is less prized than that of the hawksbill. However there is some direct exploitation in Cuba, and loggerheads’ eggs are

5 CONSERVING MARINE TURTLES ON A GLOBAL SCALE 2004

Flatback turtles (Natator depressus) The flatback is a distinctive species, having a flat body and smooth carapace with upturned edges and growing to approximately 100 cm. It has the most limited range of any marine turtle species, being found only around the northern half of Australia, and in the seas between northern Australia and southern parts of Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. Flatbacks only very rarely leave the shallow waters of the continental shelf, WWF/Steven Morello WWF/Steven and nest only in northern Australia, where Green turtles (Chelonia mydas) beaches on small offshore islands are the most So called because of the colour of the cartilage important sites.The restricted range means that and fat deposits around its internal organs, green the flatback is extremely vulnerable to habitat turtles are dark black-brown or greenish yellow. loss, especially of breeding sites, but the major At up to 1.5m in length, the green turtle is the threat appears to be incidental catch by the largest cheloniid turtle.An estimated 100,000 numerous fishing vessels operating in waters green turtles are killed around the Indo-Australian favoured by these turtles.Annual nesting archipelago each year.There is a near total egg populations range up to 10,000, but long-term removal in several countries, e.g.Thailand and changes in this species are currently impossible Malaysia (although egg production in Sarawak to measure, as most populations have never been dropped from 2,200,000 eggs in the mid-1930s monitored. to 175,000 in 1995) and disease threatens populations elsewhere.As a result, populations are declining worldwide, with numbers in Indonesia decreasing by tenfold since the 1940s, and by more than half in French Polynesia. It is uncertain whether the current increase in the nesting female numbers in Tortuguero, Costa Rica, will be hampered by the ongoing catch of thousands of green turtles for their meat in Nicaragua.

6 CONSERVING MARINE TURTLES ON A GLOBAL SCALE 2004

2. WWF IN ACTION the survival of the species.WWF is working with The following is a description of the marine these communities to reduce the hunting rate in turtle conservation work that WWF conducts or order to sustain indigenous use of the leatherback supports across the world. In most, if not all, turtles at a level that promotes the recovery of cases,WWF works in partnership with other the species. organisations and government agencies, even if The first step of this work has been to assess the not specifically mentioned here, to undertake this socio-cultural background of the turtle hunting work.This partnership approach is fundamental practice, including traditional knowledge of turtle to the way WWF conducts is marine turtle ecology, local hunting management techniques, conservation work. and the customary decision making framework in eight villages of Kei Kecil islands. Based on the results of the assessment, conservation strategies 2.1 Reducing overexploitation will be developed to obtain the communities’ of turtle meat, parts, eggs, support for turtle conservation.These strategies and shells and promoting will include awareness-raising and education, livelihood support for participation in non-consumptive alternatives leatherback conservation and a sustainable hunting system regulated by customary and WWF/Anja Burns Marine turtles have been an integral part of coastal government law. societies around the world for centuries, for Hawksbill turtle parts trade in Southeast Asia cultural, economic and nutritional reasons.While there has been sustainable exploitation of marine As the hawksbill turtle is listed in Appendix I of turtle resources in some parts of the world, in CITES, international commercial trade in its shell most cases over-exploitation has led to severe products, known in the Far East as bekko, is population declines.WWF is working to protect banned between member countries to CITES. turtles from over-exploitation at all life stages Bekko trade is also banned from domestic trade through site-based protection, community by national legislation in an increasing number of education, capacity building, developing non- countries. Still, illegal bekko trade continues — consumptive alternatives, policy interventions with Southeast Asia remaining one of the major and through TRAFFIC,the wildlife trade regions of supply.TRAFFIC is investigating the monitoring programme of WWF and IUCN. status of trade and stockpiles of bekko in two traditionally key countries involved in the trade Indo- Pacific — Indonesia and Viet Nam. TRAFFIC and WWF Kei islands – traditional catch of will continue to work with government partners leatherback turtles in both countries on this issue. The Kei Islands group is located in the Maluku Province of Indonesia between New Guinea and Australia. Leatherback turtles, locally known as Tabob, are the most important marine species for local people’s subsistence needs.A lack of wildlife in the forests and an increasing human population are suspected to be the main reasons for the tradition of turtle hunting. Local people also believe that their ancestors require them to hunt for their ritual ceremonies and daily subsistence. Each season, approximately 100 leatherbacks are captured by the villagers of Kei. These leatherback turtles are likely to come from the north coast of Papua, some 1000 km away by WWF / Rob Webster WWF / Rob sea.As Pacific leatherbacks are critically endangered, this annual mortality level is too high for

7 CONSERVING MARINE TURTLES ON A GLOBAL SCALE 2004

Fiji moratorium on turtle hunting and trade outlawed.There is also a current ban on the The waters off Fiji provide important foraging catching of turtles within their MPA.To enforce grounds for marine turtles, especially green the rules developed by the community, a number turtles which have been recorded traveling from of villagers have been appointed and trained as as far afield as French Polynesia, American Samoa honorary fisheries’ wardens. and Eastern Australia.Traditionally turtle hunting The same approach is being used to develop a was one of the duties of selected members of the strategy to integrate turtle conservation into clan, who were well educated in the natural community-based marine protected areas in the history and traditional taxonomy of turtles, and Great Astrolabe Reef, Kadavu.WWF has carried were responsible for supplying animals at the out marine conservation awareness programmes chief’s request for consumption on special targeted at customary resource owners, and will occasions.With the weakening of traditional be working with them to establish an MPA to restrictions on when and where, and by whom, protect hawksbill turtle nesting sites at Qasibale turtles can be hunted, many Fijians, Indians and Island.As part of establishing the MPA,WWF Rotumans now consider turtles to be common will assist customary resource owners with an property.Turtles are targeted for general assessment of their current marine turtle hunting consumption as well as for sale in local markets. practices (traditional and non-traditional), and The eggs are also targeted for subsistence with developing and implementing management purposes. In addition, turtle shells are still sold measures to protect and conserve turtle for both ornamental curios and jewellery. Fiji is populations in the area. a party to CITES and therefore export of turtle shells has been prohibited since 1990, although Bali, Indonesia – the intensive a number of exemptions have been granted. A green turtle trade five year moratorium was imposed on the killing Bali has been called “the centre of the most of turtles, the taking or destroying of eggs, and intensive exploitation of green marine turtles the trade of turtle meat and eggs from 1995 to for human consumption in the world” (Salm, R. December 2000.This was not renewed in quoted to WWF,1984).The total number of green totality immediately once the first 5 years had turtles traded in Bali during 1969 – 1994 averaged ceased. However, partly through WWF’s recent about 20,000 per year.WWF,amongst other participation in a collaborative national survey of international organisations, raised considerable the status of marine turtles, and lobbying of the international awareness of this situation and government by WWF,other organisations and undertook an initial investigation into the turtle community members, the government has trade in Bali in 1984. Despite local and national extended the moratorium from 2004 for laws and regulations being issued in the late another five years. 1980s, the turtle harvest did not change markedly Sustainable management of marine from the mid 1980s to the mid 1990s. Other resources in Fiji species of marine turtle were afforded complete protection, but the green turtle was still subject WWF focuses much of its conservation efforts in to a quota system of 5000 turtles per year, the South Pacific on changing the turtle hunting officially for religious purposes only. However, practices of customary resource owners through more than 20,000 green turtles were still caught education and awareness.Work is carried out each year. Recent research has indicated that this with communities to develop mechanisms turtle fishery affects most of the genetically through which they can play a direct role in distinct populations of green turtles in the marine turtle conservation. For example, in Fiji, Indo-Australasian region. WWF is helping the customary resource owners of Ono Island to set up a community-based WWF initiated a large marine turtle campaign Marine Protected Area (MPA).Through this in 1995, focusing on awareness raising and support, local people have acquired new skills in education using traditional daily events to monitoring the health of their reefs.Additionally, deliver the messages. Additionally,WWF formed the use of fish poisons, destructive fishing an alliance with the Hindu High Council to inves- practices and poor land-use practices have been tigate the roles of marine turtles to other life on

8 CONSERVING MARINE TURTLES ON A GLOBAL SCALE 2004

earth, in the Veda (the holy Hindu script).After reduced to almost half the previous levels (600 extensive literature views and discussions, the per month as opposed to over 1,300 the previous conclusion was reached that turtle consumption year).WWF is now concentrating on developing a is driven more by customary use than religious sustainable financing scheme for the Turtle Task need.The Hindu High Council has undertaken Forces, protected areas for critical habitats and a much work to persuade Balinese people to network of turtle based tourism that includes replace turtle meat with alternatives during Bali, Berau and East Java.WWF,the government religious festivals. and several other conservation organisations are working towards a target of 90% reduction of The green turtle was finally totally protected by current green turtle trade levels by 2005. law in 1999, and the earlier Governor’s Decree setting the quota was repealed. However, when Derawan Islands, Indonesia – regulation of the law was enforced through turtle confiscations egg collection and fines, the fishermen protested. WWF’s contin- The nesting population of green turtles in the uing approach has been to emphasize public Derawan Islands, East Kalimantan, Indonesia, with awareness and training for law enforcement, but more than 5000 females per year, is one of the based on the clear need of affected fishermen, largest in Southeast Asia. However, numbers of has recently extended its work to include turtles have been decimated (over a 90% decline) investigation and provision of alternative in the last 50 years, mainly due to egg collection. livelihoods. The sale of egg concessions is under local WWF and the Bali government have collaborated government control and is one of the major on many recent initiatives to curb the sources of income for the local government. consumption level and provide alternatives, Despite this dramatic decline in the nesting including developing a national action plan and population, the numbers of eggs harvested local turtle monitoring and enforcement teams — annually have been rising, but this simply reflects the Turtle Task Forces. In 2001 and 2002, the an increase in collecting effort. Unfortunately, numbers of turtles traded per month were this increasing egg collection, and the regular presence of turtles in the water around the Islands, masks the fact that the population faces an imminent and irreversible crash. Existing conservation measures included a requirement for setting aside 10% of nests and a government supervised head-start programme, however these are considered insufficient to stabilize or restore the population levels. In 2000,WWF started a monitoring and outreach programme on Sangalaki Island, to build local support for conservation through partnerships and to demonstrate that an aging female population with little current recruitment will not support any turtle based industry into the future, whether egg-collection or tourism.After six months of data-collection and lobbying,WWF succeeded in having the set-aside quota for conservation doubled to 20% and was invited to provide technical advice on turtle resource management efforts. Canon/Peter Denton Canon/Peter Ð Additionally, a multi stakeholder workshop

WWF conducted recently by WWF Indonesia and partners developed a common vision, strategies

9 CONSERVING MARINE TURTLES ON A GLOBAL SCALE 2004

and action plans for sustainable use of marine Atlantic coast of Africa turtles in the islands.The most critical outcome Senegal – working to curb was the target of full protection from turtle egg turtle meat consumption harvesting for Sangalaki (the major turtle rookery) and Derawan Islands. Currently, Feeding grounds in Sine Saloum, Senegal, are WWF and the local government are working considered to be regionally important for marine to strengthen and expand the partnership turtles. However, turtles are under many threats between key local government decision makers, here as elsewhere, including through local the private sector, including local and national consumption of both turtle meat and eggs. tourism industries, to create a sustainable Artisanal fishermen sometimes purposefully financing scheme for managing the turtle capture adult turtles in known foraging grounds population in the region, and to promote the on days when their fishing captures are low.WWF designation of 70,000 hectares of waters has worked with partners “le village des tortues” surrounding Sangalaki and Panjang Island (in on raising awareness of the need for marine Derawan Islands) as marine turtle sanctuary areas. turtle conservation in Senegal.As a result, the consumption of turtles has stopped in some West Indian Ocean villages where turtles were traditionally eaten. Madagascar – developing alternatives Latin America and the Caribbean A major challenge to marine turtle conservation Peru – cutting down on illegal consumption of in Madagascar is the high level of subsistence use of natural resources, including marine turtles, in turtle meat communities which lack obvious alternatives. Past WWF has worked in Peru with local partners on work by WWF in Madagascar has been focused various initiatives, including a turtle conservation on community-based conservation programmes in project south of Lima, law enforcement on land the Fort Dauphin area where green, hawksbill and at sea, initiatives against by-catch and illegal and loggerhead turtles nest. In 2002/2003 consumption, and environmental education and WWF initiated tagging activities in northern awareness campaigns with local fishermen, Madagascar, and commenced a trade assessment villagers and public authorities. One of the at two high-risk sites together with small scale outstanding achievements of this work was the awareness activities.WWF has identified capacity recent reduction (by two thirds) of the number building and developing livelihood alternatives as of commercial establishments selling turtle meat high priorities for future work. in the Pisco Paracas area.This was a direct result of numerous control operatives set-up to prevent Mafia Island Marine Park, Tanzania — both the capture and sale of marine turtles. developing alternatives to marine turtle over-exploitation Hawksbill trade in the Caribbean WWF is working with local communities on Hawksbill turtles were historically heavily utilized Mafia Island on a variety of natural resource for the use of their shells in tortoiseshell jewelry management topics, including fisheries – popular both in the Caribbean and in the Far management, alternative non-destructive fishing East. International trade in turtle products was ventures and marine turtle conservation. formerly a major cause of population depletion. Additional support for the turtle conservation Since all species of marine turtles were listed in programme is provided by the Wildlife Appendix I of CITES, trade between parties states Conservation Society (WCS) and Born Free has decreased. However, illegal trade and hunting Foundation, amongst others. Over the last nesting for international markets outside the CITES frame- season on Mafia Island, over 10,000 hatchlings work remains of concern, and local consumption were produced from nest protection, and the rate continues in some countries. Cuba has presented of human poaching fell to 4% of previous levels. in recent years a proposal to CITES, to sell the Part of WWF‘s work in this area has also been to stockpile of hawksbill shells acquired as a prod- support the new zoning measures in Mafia Island uct of their legal turtle harvest.WWF has strongly Marine Park, which are anticipated to reduce advocated against any resumption of international bycatch levels of marine turtles in no-fishing trade of any species until it can be shown that zones. the species in question has sufficiently recovered 10 CONSERVING MARINE TURTLES ON A GLOBAL SCALE 2004

to sustain trade, that the governments have Tortugero, in the Atlantic coast of Costa Rica, is sufficient capacity and commitment to enable the largest nesting site of the green turtle in the enforcement and implementation of national and Atlantic Ocean. Leatherback, hawksbill, and log- international laws, that other populations will not gerhead turtles also nest here. During the 1960’s be put at risk, and that such trade will not nega- nearly every green turtle coming to nest there tively affect the recovery of populations to fulfill was taken for the turtle soup export market. their ecological roles, or maintain their demo- Today, some 50,000 tourists come to Tortugero to graphic health and genetic diversity. Of additional see the nesting turtles and other wildlife.The concern are three other shell stockpiles in the local community benefits directly from the Caribbean, two in Jamaica and one in the tourism through becoming certified guides for Bahamas.The Cuban attempts to obtain night turtle watching excursions, and by other permission to trade shells legally under CITES tourism related services, which generate an annu- have been unsuccessful. However, Cuba is partici- al gross income of close to $ 7 million dollars. pating in regional dialogues on the species conservation.WWF is maintaining a close WWF is supporting a Leatherback Sea Turtle Anti- dialogue with the Cuban government through poaching project, also developed by the our presence in La Habana, and is exploring alter- Caribbean Conservation Corporation, as a way to natives to the marine turtle harvest with local contribute to the recovery of the Atlantic scientists, including a study of the nutritional leatherbacks and to emphasize that a marine tur- and cultural value of the turtles.WWF is also tle is worth more alive than dead. advocating regional cooperation on hawksbill Marine Turtle Trade in the southern Caribbean conservation and management, as the solutions require a regional approach due to the nature TRAFFIC has recently undertaken a survey of the of hawksbill migrations that encompass the southern Caribbean nations, as a complementary jurisdictional waters of several nations, and of initiative to the 2001 northern Caribbean report, genetically distinct stocks that mix at key feeding “Swimming against the Tide”.The survey focused sites in the Caribbean. on legislation, stockpiles and management initiatives, and developed recommendations to Commercial trade of marine turtles in the assist conservation of marine turtles in the 26 northern Caribbean countries involved.The extreme variability in the TRAFFIC North America recently completed a respective countries’ ecology and cultures, legal trade review and legal analysis of the fisheries frameworks, economies, and management regimes and primarily commercial trade of marine turtles clearly produces a complex situation for effective in the Bahamas, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Haiti, regional management of migratory animals such Jamaica, Mexico, Puerto Rico,Turks and Caicos as marine turtles.The survey found encouraging Islands, British Virgin Islands, and US Virgin signs of improving marine turtle management by Islands.The study has confirmed that demand for many governments. However, it also found that turtle meat and eggs remains strong in the region, greater technical, human and financial resources and the use of marine turtles continues in all will be needed to effectively conserve depleted areas surveyed, despite fully protective legislation marine turtle populations in the region. in 5 of the 11 nations/territories reviewed. Past over-exploitation devastated nesting populations in the Cayman Islands, and they remain on the verge of extinction in that territory. Costa Rica: supporting anti-poaching measures Tortugero, an initiative developed by the Caribbean Conservation Corporation, is now a success story in demonstrating the economic benefits of live turtles versus dead ones.

11 CONSERVING MARINE TURTLES ON A GLOBAL SCALE 2004

research initiative — and to expeditiously 2.2 Working with fisher folk, undertake similar research and implement new conservation measures in other fleets and other scientists and governments oceans to conserve turtles. Working in to reduce incidental conjunction with NOAA and the Inter-American catch of turtles in fisheries Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC),WWF is helping Ecuadorian fishermen put this into

WWF-Canon DENTON / Peter Worldwide, hundreds of practice.WWF will be supporting experiments, thousands of marine turtles similar to those in the Atlantic, with Ecuador’s are caught in shrimp trawls, on long-line hooks longline fleet.WWF also will be working with and in fishing nets each year.WWF is working to other Latin American countries and distant water reduce bycatch through improvements in fishing fishing fleets to develop similar experiments. gear and techniques and, where necessary, restrictions on where and when certain kinds On a regional level,WWF is working through the of fishing should take place. IATTC, which has recognized the importance of the bycatch problem. The January 2004 meeting Worldwide of the Bycatch Working Group of the IATTC in Longline bycatch – reducing bycatch through Kobe, Japan was an important opportunity to changes in fishing gear and techniques take these recommendations forward.WWF Bycatch from longlining and purse seine fisheries participated in this meeting, working with various is a largely unquantified, but anecdotally delegations in attendance and also some not able extremely serious threat to marine turtles. Limited to attend, to support measures to reduce bycatch data gathered from the Secretariat of the Pacific throughout the eastern Pacific ocean. WWF is Community of the Western Pacific Fisheries also working with the IATTC to identify areas that Council suggests an interaction rate of 12,000- should be prioritized for time and area closures 20,000 interactions per year for Asian long-line or targeted bycatch reduction efforts.This is fleets alone. being done through geographic information system (GIS) -based analysis of IATTC data to Recent research conducted in the north Atlantic determine the patterns of interaction between by NOAA (U.S. National Ocean and Atmospheric turtles and fishing fleets. Administration) has revealed that this bycatch can be significantly reduced through changes in Indo-Pacific fishing gear and techniques. Working closely with Marine Debris in Northern Australia – marine the Bluewater Fisherman’s Association, NOAA turtles entangled in ghost nets researchers determined that the bycatch of Tonnes of discarded fishing nets, plastic bottles, turtles can be drastically reduced through a series rubber footwear and other marine debris wash of measures including the use of mackerel instead up on remote northern Australian beaches every of squid for bait, the use of circle hooks instead of year. Marine debris significantly impacts marine the traditional J hooks, reducing the length of turtles and their habitats, particularly through daylight hours that the hooks are in the water entanglement in ghost nets.WWF works with and the use of de-hooking devices to release Aboriginal communities, Indigenous Sea Rangers hooked turtles. While these measures reduced and other partners at permanent monitoring sites turtle bycatch by as much as ninety percent in to survey the amount, type and probable origin of some cases, they did not significantly reduce the marine debris washing ashore.The information catch of target species of the fishery. WWF has gathered forms the basis of advocacy with been vocal in its support of this promising governments and industry in the region for experiment and the importance of changes in management interventions to reduce marine fishing gears and techniques as a key element debris. of a comprehensive strategy to conserve marine turtles. To help identify discarded fishing nets collected during marine debris surveys or found at sea, WWF is calling on governments and fishing WWF has produced ‘The Net Kit’.The Net Kit groups around the world to build on this exciting details net colour, mesh size, twine size and, 12 CONSERVING MARINE TURTLES ON A GLOBAL SCALE 2004

where possible, the probable country of origin head, leatherback, hawksbill and olive ridley) of fishing nets collected in WWF’s marine debris found in its waters also come ashore to nest. surveys. The second edition, due to be released in Shallow coastal areas such as the Sofala Bank, 2004, will contain over 170 different net types.To rich in sea grasses, are prime feeding grounds record all the instances of marine entanglement, for green turtles which make them especially WWF has established a national database for vulnerable to bycatch in the shrimp trawl fishery. marine debris.This contains results of marine A study undertaken by WWF in 2001 calculated debris surveys by WWF and other groups around that shallow shrimp water trawlers catch Australia, reports of derelict nets found at sea by between1,900 and 5,400 marine turtles each commercial fishers and government agencies, and year. Most of these deaths could be prevented by details of turtle entanglements. the use of Turtle Excluder Devices (TEDs) on the trawl nets.The same study demonstrated through Prawn trawling in the Great Barrier Reef experimental trials, that the use of recommended The Great Barrier Reef (GBR), although a World TEDs had no impact on the amount of shrimps Heritage Area, and broadly classified as a caught, and also excluded other large animals ‘protected area’, is still largely open to fishing. such as rays that can potentially crush the Currently only 4.6% of the GBR is within highly shrimps in the catch and lead to lower sale protected zones, and 50% of the Marine Park is prices.A WWF online public advocacy campaign open to trawl fishing (although this will soon urging Mozambique’s Ministers to take action to change as the new Representative Areas prevent further losses of turtles was launched in Programme zoning is introduced; see section 2.3). February 2003.As a result of this, and WWF’s WWF has been campaigning actively for several work with the relevant Ministers, a new years to phase out destructive fishing practices Regulation for Marine Fisheries was approved by and ensure that fishing efforts in the Park are at the Council of Ministers in October 2003, which sustainable levels. Part of WWF’s emphasis has made TEDs compulsory in trawl nets in been on the introduction of Turtle Excluder Mozambique. In an effort to reduce long-line Devices (TEDs) into the East Coat Trawl Fishery. turtle bycatch by illegal and unlicensed longline In 2001,TEDs and Bycatch Excluder Devices were fishing vessels in Mozambique waters, the made mandatory by the Queensland government, Government has begun to intercept these for all trawl vessels operating along the east coast vessels, through a military team based at of Queensland, including in the GBR. Bazaruto Archipelago National Park. Non-compliance over the Reducing bycatch in the South African use of TEDs— Orissa, India pelagic longline fishery One of the main threats to marine turtles in WWF is initiating a project in conjunction with Orissa is from trawl fishing in the ‘no fishing’ the South African pelagic longline fishing fleet to zones and non-compliance over the use of Turtle enhance awareness and uptake of best-practice Excluder Devices (TEDs), even though they are bycatch mitigation measures, principally focused mandatory by law.Trawlers operating illegally in on seabirds, but also dealing with other threat- the coastal protected area during the nesting ened species caught in the industry such as season cause an increased number of turtle marine turtles. The approach will be through a strandings and mortality.WWF is engaged in multi-stakeholder forum, where government, the dialogue with the fishing community and the fishing industry and Non Government government in order to regulate the fishing Organisations (NGOs) can address bycatch operations and develop turtle-friendly fishing mitigation matters in a non-confrontational “ practices. solutions-oriented” manner, and involve the fishers in the development of seabird, shark and West Indian Ocean turtle conservation measures. Mozambique - Turtle Excluder Devices made mandatory Mozambique is exceptional in East Africa in that all five species of marine turtles (green, logger-

13 CONSERVING MARINE TURTLES ON A GLOBAL SCALE 2004

Longline fisheries in the Benguela Latin America and the Caribbean ecosystem — working with the Mexico – toward nest protection and industry on solutions bycatch reduction of leatherbacks The productive waters of the Benguela ecosystem Mexico harbours the most important nesting sites are an important foraging area for thirteen for leatherbacks in the Eastern Pacific.A 95% species of seabirds that are killed in significant population decline over the past 15 years has numbers by longline fisheries.Additionally, six meant that the species is close to extinction in threatened shark species and six turtle species this region.WWF is supporting scientific work to are also believed to be killed in longline fishing help increase the coverage of nest protection in operations in this area.WWF is starting a project Mexican beaches, as well as introduce bycatch to assess and reduce the bycatch of threatened reduction measures in fisheries policies.A recent seabirds, sharks and turtles on longline fisheries agreement between three Mexican states for the in the Benguela Current Large Marine Ecosystem protection of leatherbacks is a window of (BCLME).The project will be implemented in opportunity to instigate specific time-area South Africa, Namibia and Angola, and will mainly fisheries closures that will ensure a safe arrival concentrate on increasing the understanding of and departure for the turtles that breed along the nature and scale of impacts, raising awareness the Mexican coast. of the conservation issues, training and capacity building of the fishing industry and government, Ecuador – gear fixes to reduce bycatch demonstration trials of known mitigation meas- in the artisanal fisheries fleet ures, and encouraging the active participation of Leatherback, olive ridley and Eastern Pacific green the fishing industry in dealing with this issue. turtles are regularly at high risk of incidental capture during fisheries operations along the Pacific coast of Latin America. As discussed Atlantic basin previously, studies carried out by NOAA in the Gabon, French Guiana, Panama, Uruguay: Atlantic Ocean suggest that adaptations to the transatlantic leatherback migrations fishing gear can significantly reduce bycatch of Leatherbacks nesting in globally important sites marine turtles.Working closely with the IATTC in Suriname and French Guyana have been and NOAA,WWF is undertaking a pioneering recorded migrating across the Atlantic to the effort in the Eastern Pacific to test such gear fixes north coast of Africa.The origin of turtles found for their efficiency and conservation impact.This in waters offshore Uruguay and Argentina, and the work is designed to facilitate the shift of the travel routes of leatherbacks nesting in Gabon are Ecuadorian artisanal fisheries fleet from unknown.The main threat to the Atlantic traditional j-hooks to circular hooks and provide leatherbacks is believed to be incidental capture them with dehooking equipment and training. in coastal gill nets and longlines.WWF is currently Mediterranean coordinating a multilateral project for the study of transatlantic leatherback movements with French Italy - bycatch reduction campaign Guiana, Panama, Uruguay and Gabon.The data As part of its “Out of the Blue” marine programme platform from the project will form the basis of in the Mediterranean,WWF is conducting a the design of bycatch reduction measures in the campaign in Italy to decrease mortality of marine Atlantic Ocean.A communications initiative will turtles due to bycatch.WWF has supported the raise awareness of the need for international presence of independent observers on Italian cooperation to address the conservation longline fishing fleets to monitor fish catches and challenges of these turtles. In 2003 WWF document the extent of marine turtle and shark facilitated the formation of an NGO alliance and bycatch and mortality.This type of monitoring action plan for the conservation of marine turtles programme is limited by the high costs involved, in the Southwestern Atlantic Ocean, including and the alternative is to involve the fishing Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina, and the transat- industry in collecting the data.These data will lantic leatherback project contributes to the provide valuable information about the rate and implementation of the action plan. nature of fishing interactions, in order to guide future mitigation measures.WWF is also creating 14 CONSERVING MARINE TURTLES ON A GLOBAL SCALE 2004

a management plan for their five Italian Rescue as one management unit, despite both sets of Centres, the goal of which is the veterinary islands being protected independently under treatment, rehabilitation and release at sea of their individual country’s legislation.WWF was marine turtles. instrumental in the facilitation of cooperation between the two countries, leading to the signing in 1996 of a bilateral agreement establishing the Turtle Islands Heritage Protected Area (TIHPA), 2.3 Establishing and the world’s first transboundary protected area strengthening protected for marine turtles. The islands continue to areas around nesting be managed by their respective country’s management authorities, but under a uniform set beaches and critical marine of guidelines developed by the Joint Management habitats Committee – comprised of representatives from WWF-Canon/Roger LeGuen Turtles nest on the same each of the two countries. beaches and feed in the same areas year after South of the Turtle Islands, the Derawan Island year. WWF is working to establish and ensure group, in East Kalimantan, Indonesia, is another effective management of marine protected areas extremely important green turtle rookery in in the most important marine turtle habitats, and Southeast Asia.The Sulu Sulawesi Marine those under the most threat. Ecoregion (SSME) Conservation Plan, undertaken Worldwide by WWF and many other partners, highlighted the One of WWF’s global targets is the establishment global importance of all of these islands for and implementation of a comprehensive network marine turtle conservation.At the February of effectively managed, ecologically representative 2004 meeting of the Conference of the Parties Marine Protected Areas. Networks of marine to the Convention on Biological Diversity, the protected areas are the most effective way to governments of Indonesia, Malaysia, and the help conserve species that travel large distances Philippines signed this tri-national conservation and cross many habitats in their life-cycles. Marine plan in an historic public event.This Plan turtles use beaches, open ocean currents, recommends the development of an action migration corridors, offshore habitats close to strategy for the management of marine turtles, nesting beaches, sea grass beds, and coral reefs, and the establishment and implementation of a with critical habitats often spread out over many system of marine protected areas within the countries.They are one of the best examples of SSME. Because there are several genetic stocks of species that would benefit from a network of marine turtles foraging in the Sulu Sulawesi Seas, marine protected areas, providing protection for this MPA network will be designed to specifically the full range of critical habitats and restricting incorporate the protection of varied genetic access of damaging fishing gears and other populations of turtles and different life stages threats during migrations. of turtles from different populations.A positive outcome of the SSME Conservation Plan Indo-Pacific recommendations is that the Philippines-Malaysia Bilateral marine turtle conservation Joint Management Committee for the TIHPA, agreement in the TIHPA – scaling-up amongst others, has agreed to work towards to tri-national arrangements the establishment of Tri-national Sea Turtle Management Programme in the SSME.This The Turtle Islands are major rookeries for green will include Indonesia, in a separate, but and hawksbill turtles in Southeast Asia. They complimentary form, to the TIHPA agreement. comprise three Sabah, Malaysia islands, and six Philippines islands. Tagging activities, egg Viet Nam – marine turtle protected area production monitoring and genetic studies have provides a base for a national network shown that this group of islands is a single well- of marine protected areas defined marine turtle rookery with one Viet Nam is located on the South China Sea, a population of green turtles.As a result, it was shallow sea widely recognized as part of the agreed that this island group needed to be treated

15 CONSERVING MARINE TURTLES ON A GLOBAL SCALE 2004

centre of tropical seas biodiversity. Five species turtle habitats. However, the GBR Marine Park of marine turtle are known to have traditionally Authority (GBRMPA) is in the process of frequented Viet Nam’s waters, however hawksbill establishing a network of no-take zones and leatherback turtles are in danger of becoming throughout all 70 bioregions of the GBR. Marine locally extinct.WWF has been working at one of turtle conservation stands to benefit enormously the biggest nesting sites of green turtles since from this network of Green Zones. Firstly, 1995, in Con Dao National Park, an archipelago GBRMPA has adopted a scientific 60km off the south coast of Viet Nam. Up to recommendation that a minimum of 25-30% of 300 green turtles nest there annually.WWF the Marine Park be protected from fishing, and commenced its work with a marine turtle that the green zones network will protect critical monitoring project, and broadened the training nesting, foraging and migration habitats of marine over successive years to include ‘reef check’ turtles, amongst other endangered species.WWF monitoring training (in 1998), MPA management has been actively involved at the policy level on and ecosystem monitoring (from 1998), and advocacy for the RAP and no fishing zones, and sponsoring visits by Park personnel to other has conducted a high-profile public campaign ASEAN MPAs. In 2000, a national Asian urging people to become involved in the Development Bank (ADB) /WWF project used rezoning plan.WWF considers the final zoning Con Dao National Park as a demonstration site and the RAP to be an exemplary achievement for aimed at integrating marine biodiversity conservation of this globally significant coral reef conservation into the overall environmental system and endangered species such as marine management of the island system. Following turtles. this and other studies, a formal plan for the establishment of a representative system of Another other principal focus of WWF’s work MPAs (covering a proposed 17% of the EEZ) in the Great Barrier Reef is the prevention of was drafted by the Ministry of Fisheries, in unregulated land-based pollution, caused by consultation with national specialists and other agricultural land clearing and poor land organisations including WWF and IUCN.The management practices upstream in the rivers network currently comprises 15 proposed sites, that discharge into the Marine Park. Over the with a focus on tropical island ecosystems, some past 150 years, the volume of sediment and of which host other turtle nesting populations, nutrients flowing into the Marine Park has and provide critical offshore turtle habitats.This quadrupled, and has been shown to degrade system is expected to be approved in early 2004, many inshore marine ecosystems, including and WWF will advocate Con Dao National Park, marine turtle habitats.A report released by WWF with its history of trained personnel and in 2001 entitled “Clear? … or Present Danger” ecosystem monitoring, as a model of was pivotal in raising government and pubic management for the rest of the network. awareness of this issue.Through involvement of WWF and other organisations, the Australian and Great Barrier Reef — Representative Areas Queensland governments recently jointly released Programme (RAP) a Reef Water Quality Plan.This plan sets out The Great Barrier Reef is an extremely important measures to reduce land-based sources of area for marine turtles in the Indo-Pacific.As with sediment, nutrient and pesticide pollution that turtles globally, many of the populations here are threaten in-shore reefs and critical habitats.WWF declining. GBR has the largest green turtle nesting will continue to work to ensure this plan is populations in the Pacific, and these are adequately funded and efficiently implemented. displaying characteristics of populations under Orissa, India – the arribada of threat.The highest density nesting population of the olive ridley turtle hawksbill turtles in the Pacific at Milman Island is declining, and the only significant stock of the WWF’s direct involvement in marine turtle loggerhead turtle in the South Pacific, nesting in conservation in India gained momentum in 2003 the southern GBR, has declined markedly and is with the focus on one of the most spectacular under serious threat. Despite its World Heritage nesting events in the world – the arribada of olive status, the GBR Marine Park, until recently, had ridley turtles in the Rushikulya river mouth in the not been well protected with respect to marine State of Orissa.This mass nesting phenomenon 16 CONSERVING MARINE TURTLES ON A GLOBAL SCALE 2004

used to be concentrated northwards at the WWF acknowledged this unprecedented Gahirimatha and Devi river mouths, but coastal conservation measure in a Gift to the Earth erosion and development have pushed the celebration in 2003.WWF will continue to nesting turtles further south to the Rushikulya work with the Samoan government in their river mouth. Beach development, erosion and development of an effective management predation are all serious threats to the mass strategy for the Sanctuary. nesting. Beach protection work in 2003 included Atlantic coast of Africa creating awareness in the surrounding villages of the endangered status of olive ridley turtles, Cape Verde – marine protected areas and protecting the nests from predators, and proactive planning for tourism subsequently collecting and releasing the As part of its ecoregional approach in the hatchlings into the sea.The beach was net fenced countries off West Africa,WWF is currently along the high nesting mark and was patrolled identifying priorities for future work in marine by WWF-India volunteers. Upon hatching, the turtle conservation. One of these is loggerhead disoriented hatchlings were collected in buckets tagging and monitoring at Boa Vista, Cape Verde. and released near the waters to facilitate their This site is one of the most important loggerhead survival.WWF India is also starting to address nesting beaches in the East Atlantic Ocean, but is marine turtle conservation awareness in the currently under threat from the increasing and south-east state of Tamil Nadu through traditional currently poorly regulated tourism boom folk theatre, and through beach cleaning and happening in these islands.The site is likely to stakeholder meetings in the central western be eventually designated as a marine protected state of Goa. area, but requires proactive planning and Solomon Islands – marine turtle regulation development now.This will be beneficial to not only safeguard the turtle nesting nesting and feeding sites beaches, but also to set in place initiatives that To complement its objective of securing the can capitalize on the economic benefits of turtle- protection of all significant Pacific leatherback related tourism. habitats,WWF has begun work on identifying critical feeding grounds and nesting sites for Senegal – new marine protected areas marine turtles (especially leatherbacks) in the Through consultation with WWF and other NGOs Solomon Islands in collaboration with The Nature and the local communities, the Government of Conservancy (TNC), government partners and the Senegal recently announced the establishment of South Pacific Regional Environment Programme a network of four marine protected areas in (SPREP). A national training programme on Senegal’s coastal zone, effectively protecting marine turtles and dugongs is being developed fisheries and biodiversity covering more than that will provide technical information, local 7,500 square kilometers.These represent a knowledge and skills necessary for the doubling of the marine protected areas for government and local communities that Senegal, and will protect regionally important currently manage and harvest marine turtles. feeding and nesting grounds for five species of marine turtles. Local communities strongly Samoa – Exclusive Economic Zone to become support the protected areas as a means to a Whale, Shark and Turtle Sanctuary safeguard these important natural resources for WWF recently collaborated with and supported the future. the Samoan government to conduct a Whale Awareness workshop.As a result of this Latin America and Caribbean workshop, and continuing advocacy by WWF Colombia – support to a national marine turtle and other organisations, the Samoan Government conservation strategy declared its political commitment to establishing As part of its trans-Pacific marine turtle its 120,000km2 Economic Exclusive Zone as a conservation efforts,WWF has been involved Whale, Shark and Turtle Sanctuary in 2002.This with training for marine turtle conservation sanctuary is part of a network of whale and management in the Colombian Pacific. sanctuaries, covering over 28 million square km Additionally,WWF’s ecoregional programme of ocean, declared recently by 11 Pacific nations. 17 CONSERVING MARINE TURTLES ON A GLOBAL SCALE 2004

for the Colombian and Ecuadorian Pacific and research, while respecting traditional includes planning that takes into account knowledge and customary laws and practices important turtle nesting sites. On the Caribbean where possible. In many cases, alternative coast of Colombia,WWF is also providing livelihood development is a crucial part of support to a community-based leatherback breaking the cycle of unsustainable resource use. turtle conservation project in the Urabá Gulf. Many of the projects described in this Inventory This project includes environmental education fall under this approach, and could be listed here on the conservation status of marine turtles and as well as under the more specific threat (e.g. support to protected areas important for the over-exploitation, habitat degradation, bycatch) turtles.The Colombian government released its that they are addressing. National Marine Turtle Conservation Strategy in Indo-Pacific 2003, in which WWF played a part in drafting, and facilitating discussion by relevant parties and Indigenous Sea Rangers and marine turtle stakeholders. Building upon the National Strategy management – Northern Australia and current project work,WWF is initiating a Over 80% of the northern coastline of Australia is proposal to safeguard important nesting beaches owned and managed by indigenous Aboriginal and wetland feeding areas of marine turtles in the people.WWF is working in partnership with Chocó and Urabá region. Indigenous Sea Rangers on joint projects that Mediterranean include marine debris surveys and turtle research and monitoring. Sea Rangers are Aboriginal Mediterranean — marine protected areas community representatives who have the WWF is working to establish a fully responsibility of managing their natural resources. representative network of protected areas WWF assists Aboriginal communities to establish in the Mediterranean and is collaborating with their own marine turtle monitoring programmes governments and local conservation organizations by providing training, equipment, additional to protect loggerhead nesting beaches in Turkey funding and professional support.This enables and Greece. In 1999, the Greek government Aboriginal communities, via their Sea Rangers, to declared a Marine National Park in Zakynthos, monitor their own marine turtle resources and in which hosts the Mediterranean’s highest density so doing, provide valuable scientific data about of nesting loggerheads.WWF contributed to the the turtles in their region. completion of restoration works for the long term protection of this important loggerhead marine Sea rangers from Dhimurru Land Management turtle nesting beach in the Mediterranean against Aboriginal Corporation have been conducting erosion and siltation. helicopter based turtle monitoring along the Cape Arnhem coastline since 1996.WWF has assisted with funding since 1999. To date, over 200 turtles have been found entangled in 2.4 Involving local discarded fishing nets, over half of which have communities in monitoring, been tagged and released alive. Details of the net type and turtle species have been entered into protecting and managing the WWF national marine debris database and the turtles and their nests information used to combat the threat of marine WWF recognizes that debris. WWF-Canon / Cat HOLLOWAY conservation strategies must reflect the dual objectives of simultaneously Tourism and turtles — Ningaloo Reef, improving natural resource management and Western Australia people’s quality of life and that, in most cases, WWF’s involvement with marine turtle unless the people who are most directly conservation at Ningaloo Reef, one of the longest impacted by conservation projects perceive them fringing coral reefs in the world, began with its as beneficial, then biodiversity conservation will participation in a campaign to halt a proposed not be feasible. WWF’s work proactively involves beachside marina and hotel.The proposed local communities in monitoring, management development was ultimately rejected by the

18 CONSERVING MARINE TURTLES ON A GLOBAL SCALE 2004

Western Australian Environmental Protection information they require to sustainably manage Authority on the basis of posing an unacceptably their natural resources, including marine turtles. high environmental risk. Fast growing, unplanned Part of this is through supplying tags to those and sometimes poorly regulated tourism is, communities in the outer islands who want to however, still a major threat to endangered participate in a tagging programme, as well as species such as marine turtles.The loggerhead, directly tagging and releasing turtles caught in green, hawksbill and flatback turtles all nest on Rarotonga Lagoon.Additionally,WWF has run Ningaloo beaches.WWF has supported a awareness programmes including through a community monitoring project involving the migrating green turtle tagged in Palmerston Atoll. local community, local government, and state The whole community became involved with the government conservation agencies since 2002. schoolchildren plotting the migration route of the WWF staff are also working with all other turtle as it traveled across the sea. stakeholders in the region, in order to develop a coordinated and collaborative Conservation Vanuatu – traditional theatre and community Strategy for marine turtles on the Ningaloo Reef monitoring of marine turtles and adjacent beaches.This is being framed in Traditional theatre is a medium which often the context of the region being a world-class, proves successful at exploring conservation and well-managed, environmentally sustainable tourist resource use issues in a non-threatening way. destination, and a potential World Heritage site. WWF employed this approach in Vanuatu by WWF is also extending its community turtle supporting (together with the South Pacific conservation work to other sites along the Regional Environmental Programme) a local northwest coast of Western Australia, including theatre group,Wan Smolbag, to give performances into the Kimberley region, where the focus will to raise awareness of marine turtle conservation, be on community participation and sustainable and invite local communities to participate in catch by indigenous Aboriginal people. marine turtle monitoring.The marine turtle conservation theatre programme involves the Malaysia — education at green collection of information and stories upon which turtle nesting beach the theatrical group base their performances, and WWF conducts the Community Education and the recruitment of “turtle monitors” to provide a Awareness Programme on Turtle Conservation in network of people concerned about turtle partnership with the Department of Fisheries at conservation. By 2003, as many as 150 turtle the recently established Ma’ Daerah Turtle monitors in approximately 80 Vanuatu coastal Sanctuary Centre, a hatchery and interpretation villagers and the “Turtle Monitors Network” centre, in the Terengganu state on the east coast were participating in the programme. Before the of peninsular Malaysia.This Sanctuary is a nesting performances, many people were unaware of the site primarily of green turtles, although some endangered status of marine turtles, yet as a result olive ridley and leatherback also nest here.The of the post-theatre discussions, some villages programme aims to establish local community imposed 10 year bans on turtle killing, and interest and action groups for the conservation of consumption in some places has reduced from turtles in Ma’Daerah, to build the capacity of local 30 turtles a month to zero. communities on turtle conservation, and to lobby West Indian Ocean for the gazettal of Ma’Daerah as a turtle sanctuary. Kiunga, Kenya — turning marine debris Cook Islands — working with communities to into alternative livelihoods manage their marine turtle resources In 1996,WWF joined forces with the Kenya One of the issues facing marine turtle Wildlife Service, the Fisheries and Forest conservation is that many local communities, who Departments and local communities to develop manage their marine resources on a day-to-day a long-term management strategy integrating basis, do not have the information they require conservation and development priorities of the upon which to base sound decision making.WWF Kiunga Marine National Reserve.The project has is working with communities in the Cook Islands focused on developing sustainable and equitable to ensure that local people do have access to the methods of using the reserve’s resources.

19 CONSERVING MARINE TURTLES ON A GLOBAL SCALE 2004

Community participation in protecting nesting Suriname and Guyana.A Regional Sea Turtle marine turtles is fostered through an incentive Conservation Programme and Action Plan scheme for nests discovered and protected developed by WWF and partners has recently throughout the season. In the last nesting season, been technically finalised and been submitted over 12,000 hatchlings were released, and 70% for official endorsement nationally and regionally. of the nests were translocated due to being laid It provides a framework for integrated scientific below the high water mark or at high risk from initiatives (including research and monitoring), predation.The community has also actively conservation and public awareness campaigns, participated in ongoing monitoring of marine and collaboration among local, national and turtles and their habitats. In order to broaden this regional entities involved in marine turtle expertise base,WWF has recently hosted a marine conservation in the Guianas. turtle training course for KESCOM (Kenya Sea Turtle Committee). On-the-ground marine turtle conservation in the Guianas Because alternatives to over-use of resources are The beaches of the Guianas (French Guiana, few and far between in this remote northern Suriname and Guyana) host the largest Atlantic part of Kenya, the project has also developed a leatherback turtle nesting beaches in the world. creative initiative to utilize the tonnes of marine Hawksbill, olive ridley and green turtles also nest debris (mostly rubber footwear from Southeast on these beaches.The coastline is extremely Asian waters) that are washed ashore onto dynamic in these countries due to the effect of Kiunga’s beaches.The debris is washed up here the Guianas Current, and one of the continual due to trans-oceanic currents across the Indian natural disturbances to nesting beaches is coastal Ocean.The debris not only interferes with erosion. Egg poaching and incidental capture potential nesting sites and emerging hatchlings, by fisheries off the coast are both seriously but also detracts from the reserve’s tourism threatening marine turtles in this region.WWF potential.The flip-flops are recycled into a variety has supported marine turtle conservation in these of craft products and provide an alternative countries for more than 20 years through marine source of income for the local population, rather turtle research, supporting enforcement of than over-using the natural resources.The plastic conservation regulations, developing ecotourism, crafts have already had overseas orders, and encouraging selective fishing gear use, and WWF and the community are seeking to expand reducing turtle meat and egg take. Increasingly, markets and distribution channels for their local organisations and communities are playing products. an integral role in the conservation of marine East Africa – working with national turtles in the Guianas. marine turtle conservation plans In French Guiana, where the historically most WWF is working with national committees for important leatherback nesting beach in the world marine turtle conservation in Zanzibar,Tanzania is located at Awala-Yalimapo beach,WWF works and Kenya, as well as helping develop and with a local Amerindian organisation, Kulalasi, implement national action plans for marine in monitoring, poaching mitigation, tourist turtles.A prime objective of WWF in all these management, and reinforcing the Amana Nature areas is to ensure that marine resources are used Reserve management. sustainably by local communities and that critical habitats for marine turtles, as well as coral fish In Suriname,WWF is currently supporting most and dugongs, are protected. marine turtle conservation initiatives which are coordinated under the Foundation for Nature Latin America and Caribbean Conservation (Stinasu) – a semi-government Regional conservation network across organisation. Local Amerindian organisations, such Guyana, French Guiana and Suriname as the community-based Stidunal, are becoming increasing involved in managing, and benefiting Since 2000,WWF has played a key role in from, marine turtle conservation initiatives.WWF establishing a functioning network for marine has been involved in building field stations on turtle conservation across French Guiana, remote beaches, training rangers, supporting

20 CONSERVING MARINE TURTLES ON A GLOBAL SCALE 2004

sustainable tourism initiatives, and promoting two communities of the Ngöbe-Bugle fishing closures in front of a nesting beach Amerindians, custodians of the beach and its reserve. natural resources, has decided to protect the turtles.WWF is working in partnership with the Shell Beach in Guyana is the last remaining Caribbean Conservation Corporation to secure section of natural coastline and mangrove forests the recovery of the hawksbills at Playa Chiriqui, in the country. It hosts leatherback, hawksbill, by building capacity among the Ngöbe-Bugle for olive ridley and green turtle nests.WWF and the design and implementation of a tourist UNDP are providing the technical and financial scheme that translates conservation efforts into support to the extensive consultation that is tangible community benefits. needed to formally declare and manage this beach as a reserve. Under the coordination of Mediterranean the Guyana Marine Turtle Conservation Society, Spain – action plan and awareness campaign WWF has, over the years, supported most marine WWF produced a position paper about conservation initiatives including monitoring, Mediterranean marine turtles in Spain, with an beach protection, and enforcement of fishing action plan for fisheries and for Natura 2000.The bans during the nesting season. In the last few main objective of the NATURA 2000 protected nesting seasons,WWF has supported educational area network is to ensure the survival of species camps for local communities and supported the that are threatened or rare throughout Europe. Almond Bay women’s coconut project — an WWF also carried out a summer campaign of alternative livelihood option to the poaching raising awareness:“A fondo 2002”, which was of turtle eggs. focused on marine turtles. Brazil – Programme Tamar Turkey – First National Marine Turtle Until the end of the 1970s, there were no marine Symposium organized by WWF conservation programmes in Brazil. Marine turtles were in grave danger of local extinction through The first systematic surveys of nesting beaches capture in fishing nets, adult females killed for for the two marine turtle species breeding on meat and nests being destroyed. In 1980, the the Turkish coasts of the Mediterranean Sea — Brazilian Institute of Forestry created the TAMAR the loggerhead and green turtle — started in Programme, to save and protect marine turtles 1979 with the support of WWF and IUCN. In through research, conservation actions and 1988, 17 sites were designated as Marine Turtle community involvement.The work was soon Nesting Sites. However, a recent report from WWF extended nationwide from the original project indicated that 64 per cent of these sites are not sites, and focuses on the identification of species, adequately protected.The report, In the Tracks of the main nesting sites, the nesting seasons, and Marine Turtles:Assessment of Marine Turtle the socio-economic reasons for the over- Nesting Sites 2003, was distributed during the exploitation of marine turtles by coastal First Turkish National Marine Turtle communities.Accompanying this has been a Symposium, which was held in December 2003 large education and awareness-raising campaign. in Istanbul,Turkey and organized by WWF-Turkey. WWF supports Project TAMAR for activities A draft National Action Plan for Marine related to tourism and the conservation of green Turtles was formulated during the Symposium. turtles in the Island Fernando de Noronha Marine It included recommendations to prepare a final National Park. National Action Plan for the conservation of marine turtles and their habitats as soon as Panama – an indigenous community benefits possible; to establish marine turtle rescue and from conserving marine turtles rehabilitation centres; and to standardize methods Playa Chiriqui, a beach in western Panama, employed in conservation and monitoring of the was historically the most important nesting nesting sites. site of hawksbills in the Caribbean. However, overexploitation of the turtles for the international shell trade has reduced the population by over 85%. Recently, one of the 21 CONSERVING MARINE TURTLES ON A GLOBAL SCALE 2004

the governments concerned.Additionally,WWF 2.5 Promoting regional and works with the Secretariat and government counterparts in non-signatory countries to international agreements to facilitate their accession. conserve marine turtles. Atlantic coast of Africa Because of the highly migratory nature of marine Tortues Marines d’Afrique Ouest WWF turtles and the variety of and the CMS Abidjan MOU territorial and international waters that their WWF in West Africa has a regional marine turtle range often spans,WWF believes that internation- conservation project that aims to build capacity al and regional agreements for marine turtle con- for marine turtle management at national and servation and management play a vital role in regional levels, to address information needs for their survival. For this reason,WWF actively pro- marine turtle management, to strengthen regional motes these agreements, and works with the collaboration, and to implement priority Secretariats and participating countries to management actions. As in many regions around strengthen the implementation of such agree- the world, information concerning turtle habitats ments. and population dynamics is incomplete. Regional collaboration in collecting and sharing research To date, international agreements focused data, as well as sharing information on common specifically on marine turtles exist for the Indian marine turtle conservation issues, is needed to Ocean, Southeast Asia,Atlantic Coast of Africa, and guide management actions and determine the Inter-American region. Also, certain global priorities.To this end,WWF’s West African treaties, including the Convention on Migratory Marine Ecoregion Programme, IUCN and the Species of Wild Animals (CMS), the Convention on International Foundation for the Banc D’Arguin Biological Diversity (CBD) and the Convention on (FIBA), co-convened a six country turtle International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild workshop in June 2002, for regional governments Fauna and Flora (CITES) apply to marine turtles. and NGOs involved in marine turtle conservation. WWF is actively involved in advocacy concerning This has led to the development of a regional these treaties especially, to promote marine turtle action plan for the conservation of marine turtles conservation measures by the signatory States. in this region, under a regional turtle network Indo-Pacific and West Indian Ocean (TOMAO - Tortues Marines d’Afrique Ouest) which stretches down northern West Africa from Memorandum of Understanding on the Mauritania to Guinea.This network is one of three Conservation and Management of Marine that cover the sub-regions under the CMS Abidjan Turtles and their Habitats in the Indian Ocean MOU for Conservation Measures for Marine and South East Asia Turtles of the Atlantic coast of Africa.This CMS Regional marine turtle agreements under the agreement covers all the countries from the auspices of the Convention of Migratory Species Straits of Gibraltar to the Cape of Good-Hope, of Wild Animals have been developed to cover including the islands of Macaronesia, Saint-Helena, various parts of the globe. One of these is the Ascension, and the Spanish territory of Ceuta.An Memorandum of Understanding on the ongoing WWF initiative to study the movements Conservation and Management of Marine Turtles of Atlantic leatherback turtles and design by-catch and their Habitats in the Indian Ocean and South reduction measures in the Atlantic basin is East Asia (CMS-IOSEA), commenced in 2001.WWF directly pertinent to the aims of the Abidjan MoU. was an observer at the first meeting of signatory Latin America and Caribbean States (2003) and is working with governments of both signatory and non-signatory States, to Inter-American Convention for the Protection facilitate their implementation of the and Conservation of Marine turtles Conservation and Management Plan. In the West The Inter-American Convention for the Protection Indian Ocean, and Southeast Asia + Australia and Conservation of Marine turtles (IAC) is sub-regions of the MOU,WWF is a significant the only major international treaty dedicated collaborative implementing partner of many of exclusively to marine turtles and their habitats, 22 CONSERVING MARINE TURTLES ON A GLOBAL SCALE 2004

formally setting standards for their conservation. rationale behind conservation planning at this The IAC entered into force in 2001 and WWF has scale is that these ecosystems form reasonably played a leading role in the development and discrete ecological units, and as such, are best strengthening of the Convention.WWF supported planned for at this scale.This is not without the publication of an informational booklet about significant challenges, as an ecoregion often spans the convention to promote wider understanding several political boundaries, the conservation plan of its text and objectives, and also participated needs to include all relevant stakeholders, and actively at the second meeting of the First the institutional and political frameworks are Conference of Parties held in Costa Rica, 2003. often found to need major review. One of the One of WWF’s objectives is to facilitate the significant outputs from these planning processes accession of relevant countries to the is an identification of critical species, habitats and Convention, and to this end,WWF is currently in threats within an ecoregion.This leads to a discussion with key countries in the region.WWF better understanding of where to locate marine is lobbying the Colombian government to join the protected area networks, managed marine areas, IAC and recently commissioned a legal study no-fishing zones and the socio-economic investigating the niche of that Convention in practicalities of conservation in the ecoregion. relation to other pertinent treaties to which To date, marine turtle conservation in many Colombia is also a signatory.As part of its efforts ecoregions, including the Bismarck Solomon Seas, in the Southwestern Atlantic,WWF is raising the Sulu Sulawesi Seas, Fiji Barrier Reef, East African profile of marine turtles and their conservation Marine,West African Marine, Mesoamerican Reef, needs amongst the general public and lobbying and the Colombian and Ecuadorian Pacific Coast the Argentinean government to join the IAC. Ecoregions, has benefited from this level of planning and the collation of data to support it. Western Hemisphere Migratory In fact, marine turtle conservation is one of the Species Conference three main objectives of the Sulu Sulawesi Seas In their Plan of Action resulting from the Summit Ecoregion Conservation Plan, and the Bismarck of the Americas meeting in Quebec in 2001, Solomon Seas Ecoregion has chosen the Leaders in the Western Hemisphere issued a leatherback turtle as its flagship species. call to “advance hemispheric conservation of plants, animals and ecosystems through…the development of a hemispheric strategy to support the conservation of migratory wildlife 2.6 Increasing the throughout the Americas.”The Western scientific understanding Hemisphere Migratory Species Conference was of turtle populations convened to support the Summit Plan of Action trends, migration, by articulating a strategy that identifies conservation priorities for migratory species genetics and value in the Americas. The first meeting of the Though marine turtles have Conference took place in 2003 in Chile, with been studied for many years, WWF-Guianas an emphasis on migratory birds.WWF was there are still great mysteries elected to the Interim Steering Committee as about their life cycles, and their value to societies the representative for NGO´s for non-bird species and ecosystems. WWF is involved in research all and will participate in the construction of a over the world to advance knowledge of these hemispheric conservation agenda for marine mysterious animals so as to inform critical turtles under the umbrella of this conference. conservation efforts. Worldwide Indo-Pacific Ecoregional Planning Papua, Indonesia — tagging and genetic WWF is undertaking collaborative conservation studies of the last large leatherback planning at the large ecosystem level in several nesting population in the Pacific marine ecoregions across the globe that are The north Vogelkop coast (Birdhead Peninsula) of important habitats for marine turtles.The Papua is one of the world’s major nesting areas

23 CONSERVING MARINE TURTLES ON A GLOBAL SCALE 2004

for the leatherback turtle. With drastic declines of New Caledonia – tagging and monitoring nesting populations in Malaysia and recently in of green and loggerhead turtles Mexico, Papua supports possibly the last large nesting aggregation of the leatherback turtle in WWF conducted a green turtle tagging the Pacific Ocean.WWF has been involved, in programme on the Entrecasteaux Reefs of New close collaboration with the local community, Caledonia in 2002. New nesting sites were with on-site management activities at nesting located and 232 green turtles were tagged. habitats of leatherback turtles in a 20 km stretch Approximately 1,500 green turtle females and a of Jamursba Medi beach for almost a decade.The few hundred loggerhead females were estimated global importance of this nesting beach and from the monitoring of nesting sites. Knowledge WWF’s continued advocacy for adequate site of the loggerhead populations in southern New protection, has resulted in the local government Caledonia has been identified as a major gazetting the beach as a protected area. Despite information gap in the management and this long involvement in turtle conservation and conservation of Pacific populations of this recent protection, nesting trends have shown loggerheads — which are possibly down to as no noticeable increase in numbers over this few as 2,000 nesting females.To accompany this period. Ongoing work must look beyond the tagging effort, educational materials for local nesting beaches at the other threats these turtles communities were produced, and WWF is encounter. One of the main threats to working with various provinces to improve the leatherbacks at sea is their incidental capture in conservation legislation aimed at protecting fisheries gear, such as long-lines and gill nets. endangered species such as marine turtles. Genetic analysis of leatherbacks encountered Arafura Seas — green and olive off California and in the Hawaii-based longline fisheries, has shown that they originate from the ridley turtle tracking western Pacific, most likely from nesting beaches The movements of olive ridley turtles which nest on Papua, Indonesia. on the Tiwi Islands north of Darwin,Australia, are largely unknown.WWF is currently launching a WWF is working with NOAA to track the tracking study of these turtles which will reveal movements of female leatherbacks after they migration patterns between nesting and foraging depart from their nesting beaches in Papua, grounds, and details about currently unknown and to study the population genetics of the foraging areas and foraging behaviour. Other Indonesian nesting population. One of the key tracking studies will investigate the post-nesting aspects of this research is the full involvement movements of green turtles in the southern Gulf and cooperation of local people and monitoring of Carpentaria and will build on previous teams.The scientific methodology used is telemetry studies. carefully designed to respect local traditional beliefs and practices. In addition,WWF is working Papua New Guinea — national population with other partners to build the capacity within survey of leatherbacks Indonesian institutions to analyse the scientific Few quantitative data are available about data.WWF and its partners will use the results important marine turtle habitats in PNG.As a of this international collaboration and research result,WWF and other partner organisations to initiate and promote multilateral management are currently investigating the potential of actions that are necessary to conserve this establishing a marine turtle monitoring large nesting population.WWF field work is also programme that will provide valuable data as well currently expanding to Warmon beach, 35 km as involve local communities. It is anticipated east of Jamursba Medi, an area that hosts nesting that the data generated from these surveys leatherbacks in a different season.This difference will become the baseline upon which national in the nesting season may imply that different policies for the conservation and protection of foraging habitats are being using by the marine turtles will be formulated.As a first step population at Warmon. Community based patrols in this programme, a national population survey and monitoring started in the 2003 nesting of leatherbacks in collaboration with the PNG season and the same scientific research initiatives government and the Village Development Trust as at Jamursba Medi will be pursued in the future. (a national community conservation organisation) 24 CONSERVING MARINE TURTLES ON A GLOBAL SCALE 2004

is planned for the next nesting season.The survey Bissau and feeding grounds in The Banc D’Arguin aims to identify population distribution and the National Park in Mauritania.This important impacts of coastal development on leatherback nesting and feeding ground for green and feeding and breeding grounds. loggerhead turtles has been supported by WWF since 1976.A regular tagging programme is now West Indian Ocean needed to build on these initial telemetry studies South Africa – 30 years of monitoring of and clarify the movement of these turtles.As a leatherbacks and loggerheads first measure towards this,WWF and partners will Not all turtle populations are in decline — conduct a training workshop on turtle tagging rigorous protection can, and does work.WWF and census techniques at the beginning of the has been involved in one such instance in 2004 nesting season. South Africa for more than three decades.The Gabon – Congo beaches – leatherback loggerhead and leatherback turtles of the monitoring and tagging Tongaland beaches of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, have been the subject of a monitoring Beaches situated between Mayumba (Gabon) and and patrol programme, led by KZN Wildlife and the Noumbi River in the Democratic Republic of supported by WWF and others, that has been Congo represent some of the most important running since 1969.These three decades of nesting sites for the leatherback turtle in the strong protection have led to increases in the world. IUCN has proposed a trans-border marine small annual nesting population of leatherbacks reserve between the two countries to include all more than fourfold.This population is believed to of the most significant nesting sites. Until recently be representative of a larger nesting population in however, none of the beaches in the protected Mozambique and turtles nesting here are known areas of Gabon had been monitored consistently to forage in the waters between Mozambique and during the nesting season.WWF,together with Madagascar.This makes the importance of marine a suite of local project partners under the protected areas such as the recently extended coordination of the regional marine turtle Bazaruto National Park and newly created organisation, Kudu, made the first estimate of Quirimbas National Park in Mozambique nesting turtles near the city of Gamba in the extremely important for protecting 2002-2003 season. Important baseline data on the developmental and feeding grounds of these number of leatherbacks and olive ridleys which turtles.The global importance of these parks was came ashore to nest, was collected in this season, celebrated by WWF as a Gift to the Earth in 2001. and will form the basis for repeat monitoring and tagging programmes in the future.The project Atlantic coast of Africa partners also undertook environmental education Research and conservation efforts for marine activities, aimed at increasing the awareness of turtles of the Atlantic coast of Africa have been the endangered status of the turtles, and initial hampered by financial, political and logistical conservation measures to protect them. difficulties over the last few decades.Although Latin America and Caribbean species status and population trends are still largely unknown, the research that has been done Cuba — protection, monitoring and genetics reveals that the region is important for marine WWF is active in marine turtle conservation in turtles. In the past few years marine turtle work Cuba on a number of fronts.WWF has supported along the Atlantic coast of Africa has gained habitat protection in a key marine protected area, momentum, and WWF has played a key role in Jardines de la Reina, and supported enforcement several countries. action to aid in the decommissioning of the turtle nets within the park.WWF supported the marine Guinea Bissau – training for green turtle tagging program of the Centre for Fisheries turtle tagging Research (CIP) under the Ministry of Fisheries, Satellite telemetry studies in Guinea Bissau with and is currently involved in the monitoring of the support of the International Foundation for turtles nests at Guanahacabibes in conjunction the Banc D’Arguin (FIBA), indicate that green with the Centre for Marine Research (CIM), a turtles move between nesting areas in Guinea department of the University of La Habana.

25 CONSERVING MARINE TURTLES ON A GLOBAL SCALE 2004

Current research into the genetics of hawksbills jobs and income for coastal dwellers, and to in Cuban waters is ongoing with CIM. Southern contribute to gross revenues.Threats to marine Cuba is probably the most important feeding turtle survival must be reduced to avoid negative ground, while the northern Yucatan coast of economic consequences. Mexico is likely to be a major nesting area. Previous genetic studies of mitochondrial DNA A global assessment of marine turtle values by (mtDNA) taken from hawksbills nesting on WWF in 2004 found that marine turtles are beaches in seven Caribbean countries (Belize, definitely worth more alive than dead.The Mexico, Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands,Antigua, majority of consumptive uses has a negative Barbados, and Brazil) have shown that at least effect on marine turtle population trends and six of these colonies are isolated breeding can affect marine turtle values at other locations. populations.The studies have also shown that Non-consumptive tourism use of marine turtles foraging populations are drawn from many generates greater gross revenue than consumptive different nesting colonies. The significance of use of marine turtles for shell, meat, eggs and isolated breeding colonies in the Caribbean is other products. Non-consumptive use also has the that a depleted population will not be replen- potential to create more jobs than consumptive ished by immigration from elsewhere. Extirpation use. Future human generations, particularly of any population will result in irreversible loss people living in developing countries, stand to of genetic diversity. lose most from continued marine turtle decline. Advancing marine turtle science through The economic benefits from non-consumptive Geographic Information System data analysis use have to reach stakeholder groups involved in consumptive use, in order to create local WWF’s Conservation Science Programme, incentives in favor of conservation. Governments based within WWF-US, is working with the IATTC and NGOs can create local incentives to science staff to develop better GIS-based tools for discourage consumptive use, by employing mitigating bycatch in the Eastern Pacific and West former turtle users in conservation efforts, Atlantic tuna fisheries.This involves overlaying eliminating perverse subsidies that maintain data sets on turtle sitings/migrations, fishing current threat levels, and promoting profitable, effort, and environmental conditions in order to non-consumptive use of marine turtles. identify areas that should be prioritized for time and area closures or targeted bycatch reduction efforts. Some of the first maps from this work were displayed at the 2004 IATTC bycatch meeting in Japan. GIS is also being used in the production of maps of globally, regionally and locally significant threatened species, habitats and threats with the ecoregional planning processes. Worldwide Money talks ... a global study of the economic value of marine turtles How much is a marine turtle worth? Should sparse government funds be invested to enforce legislation that restricts the use of endangered species? For thousands of years, marine turtles have been a source of food and sustenance for coastal communities in tropical and subtropical regions. Marine turtles can be killed for meat, eggs, shell and other products but alive, they can also be used as a tourism attraction. Consequently, when marine turtle populations decline, they have less potential to generate

26 CONSERVING MARINE TURTLES ON A GLOBAL SCALE 2004

3. GEOGRAPHICAL SCOPE OF WORK WWF has active projects or supports local partners in marine turtle conservation in the following countries:

Angola Ecuador Italy Papua New Guinea Turkey Australia Fiji Kenya Peru Uruguay Brazil French Guiana Madagascar Samoa United Republic of Cape Verde Gabon Malaysia Senegal Tanzania (Tanzania and Zanzibar) Colombia Greece Mauritania Solomon Islands Vanuatu Cook Islands Guinea Mexico South Africa Viet Nam Costa Rica Guinea Bissau Mozambique Spain Cuba Guyana Namibia Suriname Democratic Republic of India New Caledonia The Gambia Congo Indonesia Panama The Philippines

countries with active WWF or WWF sponsored marine turtle projects (N=44) marine eco-regions with active WWF marine turtle projects countries with habitats where marine turtles occur

Map by A. Abreu Grobois, UNAM

27 CONSERVING MARINE TURTLES ON A GLOBAL SCALE 2004

Information sources

Convention on International Trade in Endangered Marine Turtles — Global Voyagers threatened Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. www.cites.org with extinction. 2003.WWF International Species Programme (see www.panda.org ) Memorandum of Understanding on the Convention on Migratory Species of Wild Animals. Conservation and Management of Marine Turtles www.unep-wcmc.org/cms and their Habitats in the Indian Ocean and South East Asia (IOSEA). www.ioseaturtles.org

Data sheets prepared by World Conservation Monitoring Centre and WWF International, 2001. National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration. www.noaa.gov

Angela Formia, Manjula Tiwari, Jacques Fretey & Alexis Billes. 2003. Sea Turtle Conservation along South Pacific Regional Environment Programme. the Atlantic Coast of Africa, Marine Turtle www.sprep.org.ws Newsletter 100:33-37.

Turtle Island Heritage Protected Area. Elizabeth H. Fleming, 2001. Swimming against www.arbec.com.my/sea-turtles/tihpa1.php the Tide – Recent Surveys of Exploitation, Trade, and Management of Marine Turtles in the Northern Caribbean. A TRAFFIC North America Peter Paul van Dijk, Chris R. Shepherd, 2004. Report. Shelled out? A snapshot of bekko trade in selected locations in South-east Asia, 2001/2002. A TRAFFIC Southeast Asia report. Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority. www.gbrmpa.gov.au WWF network of marine turtle conservationists.

Elizabeth Kemf, Brian Groombridge,Alberto Abreu & Alison Wilson, 2000. Marine Turtles in the WWF.www.panda.org and respective national or Wild — A WWF Species Status Report.WWF, regional WWF websites. Gland, Switzerland.

IUCN 2003. 2003 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. www.redlist.org.

Inter-American Convention for the Protection and Conservation of Marine turtles. www.sinac.go.cr/otros/coptortuga/