FI xSF'/f;lOP/RID(l 102/6 1 Miu•oh 19'/2
EJOUT:H PACHIC :rnI.ANDS ~ EU!RINID TURTLE IU!JSOURCES
A :i."epo:r.'t IJ:rop&,::rect for the South PMific Iolanda JJ1 i1me:i.~1e~ D.!Jv®lopm*'nt Agenc..'Y
by
,J oRo :mu1driolwo11 i\im•i:uo Biology ( 1l'ul'Uaa) Con
Rom", 1972
WS/07567 1 • IN'l'RODUG'rION
2. U .s. TRUS'l' TERRI'l'OHY OF ~1'I1JIJ PACIFIC ISLANDS
2.1 SynopBiB of Act:ivi'!;y 2. 2 FincLings 2 2.3 Recormnanda/Gions 5 3. GUAM 6
3.1 Synopsis of Activities 6 3.2 Findingfl 6 3.3 Racomrnenda:tions 6
PAPUA-NEW GUINEA
4.1 Synop.iia of Activitio111 7 4. 2 Finding•~ 7 4.3 Recommendations 9
CONSOLIDATED llEOOMM:filNDA'I'IONS 10
ITHIERARY 12 PIIRSONS INTERVIlll'IIilD 13 covering work in ·~he Uo(1o •1:r1.ucs1; of ·th€c' PiM~if:tc Ial!'!,nM and in iB 1J&o~3rrh~i1nrte llSeful ini'orm.1J;tio:n. a:ml 'eh@ consulta:!'rt to ti1rtle nesting heach~rn ~u1cl feeding H foUowa I:nfo:r"!llal report FI~Sl;y'SOP/REG 'i02/2 by
In 19689 M a :reimH; of dit!m1eRl!iom1 wit;h South J?a,cific C The Te:t"!llS of Re feremce of ·thi;i cmmultl'.mt were g 1w110 s,:nd :report on the 1:1ea turtle farm on Ch·and Cayman Il!llandw British West Indies; to supplement ·~he Project's previoui review of the stocks of me,dne tu:r-tlei;; in ,Ghe fllouth and southW""..,st Pacific; where feaBible 9 to design with d11Jtaileci iMt:rnct:l.ou..!ll fo1• this e>ll!tablbhment o:f' ·ttu:-tle farmlll and give training ·i;o local porso:l'lMl in the impleme:n:t&,ticm of ·the1>1ll The bibliog-caphy of marine tur'Ue publioationB ghnm eJ:3 Appendix 5 in Dr. Hir·th 1s repor1 is co1wide:red adiilqua:i;e withom~ additiona by ·the oormul'tan,i;; no bibliography is appended to this report. 2. 2.1 Approxir11r2.bly half of the 60 1;1e,r:1 allocated for work in the rr:r'1J~f;t Terr:i. Biloauf:I® of :i.~mot®nnrn!"I baaohe!'J <'!nd predictable tranEJpo:Pta:tion di:t'ficuJ:t i<1~1 in ·the Ma:t'IIlh!!,11 ·the oo:rumlta:rrt !'Hibocluled. to visit Majuro with the i!:rten·tfon of o·~h.E:ir following the !lnd. finii:ihing ai; ];l':l.!'Ah®r:b~lli! Rei~e!U'ch s·t11:tion exi111ta. Unfortm1a:tdy9 i.ve 1~_ncl ~• to·tal abf'ltimco of cable 9 radio and pofB·te,l ooummnir,i;i/~ion rl1l10 in J~he Trust Territory ciulminated. w:l:th to re&i,oh Palau (\11 s'Gand.- by sta;tus from ·th® Gurun During 14 in M~iju:ro befo:t'e oha.J:'ior oouJ.d ha ·to Bila!.r Atoll, /!'!, large numOOI' of l~:l.'!'10nEJ w1:u3 ot:m!'!idor!l.blo ion by l!ll,Yl1l'!ln on many portioM of the Trufft p1",rtiouJ.ll!,:rly 'Ghoills of Dr. Jack Tobin9 aleo provid!i!!d detail®d info:rniation of oonBide:&'a'ble v·alu.e. di!!lousaions on the potential for turtle fa.r·mi:ng in thc:i ~fu.rahall If:llsz.:ndl'l helfl wi'th brt®~lllted pe:t"!'lon!'!, and the consultant wal'il Eloblo to fo:t'lmlllat® l!l.nd ht1:vo confiru1od a r1.ui11bor of economic and. social milieu in which ar;y M,:u:•fi!!}ll::!,11€11\10 turth1 fa,1'mlll would ha"V"e The con1t1u.Hant g<1.ve OJJ£ diMttHi.0~1i=l® With the exception of dB;t10, which r11JY41 avedlable from ·th'3 Marin® Resources Lttboratocy in Kororw Palauw wid. would 'be conOOl"'ned wi'!;h tho irllfnediate a,rea of the western- most Carolinas, th®re i!Fl oJ()icnt i:l:'ic ·ty on ·!;he !'lea turtll'l popula- tio:ns of the Trwilt Territory. d!:~ta on population si~s; there are no catch or f!lt~tia1dcs; ;~o "'i!£!i',"l{!) prcigrrunme•~ no local fir:!heries officers exist, and there aril no local science on which programmes of atm:W might b!'l based. which ili'j start :from zero and must oo bMed llpon PelilLoo interested lilm1!l.i:[1nr•lfll meaningful survey of the three million scp~ 00noe~ned would be a formidable task. Altho1J8h the consultant lmdlirstood that U1<11 circn1lat®d in 1968 had brought some respon1:1es from the Tru!!lt Te:t'ritory, hEI he,s neJt been able to locate such data at SPIFDA headquarters in Noumea. The most oommon ·turtles in "~he Trus·b are Green tu:r'tlea 9 with Haw1mbilb distributed rather eparaely in the xwrthe:rn ~•ml l'.:!Mtern portiorui of the area and oocooiing more common in the southe:m aud western aectforui. ImmadiaJGdy around Pala:u9 HawkBbills are apparently morl'l common than ar1<1 Gree:i:u1. Ridleye a,11d LoathorbackB appear to occm' only sporadically aw:l. r~rely; no substantial records of Loggerheads liU.'e available and (in the Marshalls, at least), no appropriate name for <1uch a ttll'·l;ll'l o::dsts. The principal known and e1u1pacted Green tur'cle neating ar®as are all on low islands and bars with lHtl® o:r' no htu111ui activity beyoncl via:l:l;t'.! for the pw;poee of collecting fish, 'Gurtles, and sea birrus0 So far as the oo:ruiultant ce~ determine 9 theN are no exteruiive beds of' turtle gras1:1 l:1€le...r these m-rnting localitioi:J9 f!luoh oods being more cooimon in the vicinity of the ( i:rihabited) high idands where there is more 1~rle11eive rainwater :r•un-offo Thus, the best potential feed.ing areiY:oJ and 'che arilal:l arl'l uau.ally sep!!!,rated by oonside:i:•a.ble distanoos. In the Trust 'l'errHory i1alandt"l, there 1\1,ppee..:r to be no nxed cuetoois of holding oaptured turtles for ®rlem1ed periocls in or of 1:'®1,\ring 1!1ma11er individuals to larger size. There ex-a a few &,ccounti:< of chi®fo who turtl~rn placed in th Individual ,ia:ir'tles a_re 'brought in oVGr moll'lt of th® Te:FL•itory, and are eaten within da;yB of oopt1xre0 A BUIJlffitu:·y of and customs relating ·to turtl®1!3 iB given in 11 Note<1 on the regulations 1u1d. pl'aotfoef:! of ha:F.resUng sea turUe and eJea turtle eggs in the rrruat Te:F.dto:i:•y of the PaoHio Islimda", Antlu.'opological Working Papers, Trust Territory of the Pacific IBlands, April~ 1957. There is an existing sta:tute {Truat Territory Code, TiUe 45~ Ohaptl'll' 1) gOV®rning the taking of sea tur'i; liH10 This prohibi tlil the taking of all !\ll'la tw:'tlea while on Bllorl'l and forbide the taking of ai:zy- eggs. It sets a lower size limit of 24 in carapace le1-igth on all sea turtles tak<1m ill the W In the absen04!ll of ~ firm iv.for-rimtion oo?W<'ll':rling the f It cannot oo stressed too that· thir!l if!l not to be t~n af!l definitive information, but only a first start, of a of based upon avid.enc:® and meant to oo attaclood wH;h real dti;ta mo1~ than upon for gi.1idanoo ~ (Because Bikar Atoll appears to be generally famous as the largest nesting concentration in the Territory, it iB h€1re given p1~ime rank; the other popule:f;ioM are rruilood 11Ant 11B11 and 11 0 11 in order of dsoreasi:ng size according to info:i.'lllation availablee) Marshall Islands Distri~ AA - Bika.r ktoll A - Bikini Atoll A - Bokaak ( Taongi) Atoll B - Erik.uh Atoll B - Jemo bltui.d C - Ujelang Atoll B re. Wotje Atoll Marianas Islruids District - no information on a.ey pl;\rtioular oonoantrations Pona.pe District A - Oroluk Atoll Truk District - no info:!:'l11ation on mzy particntlar co:rwentrations Ya.p District A - ~t Atoll C - Ngulu Atoll A - Olimarao Atoll B - Uli~Ghi Atoll Palau Di1:1trict B - Helen's Reef B - ( N'garuru.1gl) Reef The consultant vi1:1ited Bilau:' Atoll 1md all three of ih hlets judged suitable for Green turtle nesting (Bikar, Arwueni and Jab~:rukku). These !U'e the only vegetated islets in the atoll, the remaiwier being barrl!ln ba1's and blUilal which are prea'!mlably awept by high wa,ve actic:m. The timing of the visit was icruarly favourable, being at the end of a aeven-dag period of diminishing tidsfl during oa.lm 'i H is of 'the gTeatei:rt te do pos!3ible to work toward estimateB of actual population size in the mat>ine turtle resources of each e,rea where they occur, as a basic pai'·t of a:ny programme ·to e,ssess the potential r'or their exploitation by either farming or wild ha:r'Vest. No matter how temwus ·the evid.ence 9 a reasoned, explained prediction of population size :is better than no figu~res at all0 Therefore, the following estimate is provided of the si?,e of the Green turtle population nestiru; on Bikar Atoll: ( 1) Assuming that approximately 75 percent of the year 1s :mrnting takes place du:t'ing a 90-day pee,k period between mid-June and midl""September at the 12°N latitude of Bikar, and 'Ghat the central 30-day period of the 90 days has twice ·the nesting density of the two marginal periods; initial 30 days: 5 six-day periods x 38 central 30 days: (double intensity) final 30 deysi (same as initial 30) 760 nests Plus 25 percent for remainder of the year ~nests 950 nests per year (2) Assuming an average 4 matings per female per year: 950 + 4 "' 23'7 females nesting each ye~:J.' (3) Assuming a, triennial nesting pattern, with roughly equivalent year groups: 237 x 3 "' 711 aexually active adult female ·turtles in the Bikar breeding population. Too little is known about sex ratios in !!liI breeding populations of sea turtles, much less the Bikar population, to warrant hazarding a guess as to the number of males and the resultant tob,l population size. Nor does the present consultant feel able to make even a rough guess as to mortality and reo:t'uitrnimt rates, with estimates of the numbers of immature turtles which might be expected in this population0 In the consultant's opinion, assumption of a 50 percent margin of error is called for in considering the above figurea and, l!lven ·then, they mu111t not be ooru:iidered as more than the moat elementary first-level estimates. However, even the most favourable interpretation of the data available (granting the assumptioru:i made) allows consideration of a population of only B!llall size, not constituting ~e!J2loitable wild rss<.?urce of &),Y simi:ficant magnitude. If, in fact, Bikar Atoll poBeesaH one of the ma,jor breeding populations of sea turtles in the Trust Territory, it must be concluded that this entire area posaeases no sea turtle populations capable of ®Upporting sustained exploitation by wild catching - on the contrary, total protection of the wild immatures and adulta seems to be called for and the sole opportunity for euatained exploitation would be in terms of oaptin culture, with careful control of th® taking of ·the wHd.-laid agge which would be required during the initial years of any turtle f&rming activity. The aalling price for Sf!la turtle in th@ll areas of the MarahG!.ll IBlands where a oash economy is operative seems to be around USS 0.40 - US$ 0.50 per pound, live wdght. To the consultant, this seams unrealietioally high in t®rms of thEI world mar:k»·t Md ia consideNd to be a result of' the artificially inflated O!itsh economy which ie preeently operative in the area a8 a r1118ult of US metropolitan government and military activities. A Buccessf\tl Marshallese turtle farmer, then, could possibly find a pa.ying market for his product only among his fellow ialanders, and this in the prE11111ence of continual temptation for the bu,yl!lr simply to go out and catch his own turtle illegally. li'J: g Sl"/flOP/HEG 102/6 The co:runtltaYrt l'eceived ·1;lwi the,tv e/G least :tn 1;ho vi~ii3;ed~ economic incentive lllnOrlfc;' ·1;he ir:ilarld!!ll~t{ if!J low <:Uld d:tJ:"(~Ct!'Hl tor4tiJ:•d emplo;ywen·t in variotui ;jobfcJ aml h1 "loonmnie """·1:,;r.n:,, t3tyle which are rela:ted to the supply of m~mufo,c·turocl cmd acUvHiea financed largely rly the us 'I'lw:t"t'l waH liM;lo clllll".l' of fl'~rong e,ncl cont inu€ild interol'lt in :i.ndE1pemlen:t ~ ~;,c·tivitiel'J fi!Uch e,s would be involvocl in 1:1ucceaaf'ul turtl® ffJ,rm:i.ngo (:i.) A ·~erm mn"Vey i:mcl of the rnar:i.:mi tur'Gle rer:iom•ooa of ·the · U. s. Truet of ·the Pa (ii) The existin, (iii) All pmrnii'blo i;;hot~lr1 be ia>k0n to oducw;l;0 ·l;h (iv) No a;ttomp"G to p1:omoto v<1mtu1"®11 at thif!l t'lhould be m1Mlo but one ol' hatch®ry fml:tli~t'O lf!lv:nild be ostabl:t~>hod. fox' thil'l pu:rpo!"le H!¥!od to be· w:tthou:t d.e·t10i..U.ed im,1s of i;;,d;;ninood (j ' rnu!fr~ ho.V<'3 i!UPrimwo fl®JCiJ)il:i:ty ). X''3quLeocl. 1rnd. f'nturc allooatiorw ghot1ld. on dcd;1dled u:rmual of :t'i'HJnJ;i;H 1whiv·v0do acljusJted to oo·ver i::1, minimum of ono ye (v) A mechan:i.sm fm: oo:nuuJ:l;11:ti•m u:U;h J,lfll.'<'l011!3 a·b10 ·tc• i:MhriE>EJi on placement imd design The island of' Ch:i.r;1.m w~,r11 or1 ·i;hc5 conm1ltmri; 1i:> m1d :i:~ had~ filed with SPIFDA a request for turtle work. no 11m1u1ingful work could be done there; no previm.w and ·the majo1~ p€!l'iocl in Guam was oomple·tely ocoupiecirl with th(5J mmuceEH3Bful to reach Pa,lau. Tho telephone system to ·the Unive),'l'li ty waa out of orde,~r &~ncl two mrtifocl notes b:!:'oi.ight no rer;iponse. '11he info:i:'me,tion is te,k>a~l from th® 1968 Tur'tle QuJ!l!lrtiomw..ire ( Informarrt» Isaac I. Ikelmra~ Chief~ I>ivif:ifon of ll'ioh ~.ml Wildlife). Green turtles and Ifnwkal1ilhi ·to ocmu~ :l.n Ch1.;;i111 t"~\t©rs. They appax~ntly nest on th€1 .ishmd. 1.:m:i; egg13 w H &.ppoa.ra fimn the lm:mJ. ·Uw;t fl~)C!, ·tu.r·tles E<'.1.'u on the local market and the conlfirul te,x.\t found. mme on ·l;hr'® There :i,B no ·the •":atoh in aey way9 but ~:i;~e tll}ken, but the info:r·w.ant ®1:1·Hme1,'G®f,J moat 1:1.k..e ly to be 'Galrnn by cU:v«a:i:'s ). No (i) 'I'he Division of &i.:mi WH(U:U'o fJhould big t1.trtlel'B h\ Utv~nanit~-~1 :l.ii!.&1ho1'"1 w:i.th ·l;ht:i on 01.mm. ( H ) Tht'I (iii) '!'he Uni11e:t'sity of Gu1~m ahoultl b<:i s®ci, ·turt1'1 d.ie·I; n,nd. foml~0 ·\;0c~fl<:HJh conve:rlllion In Port Moresby, d.iscu1'!siorm •·mre w;.th Mr. L.W. Filewood.v Fi The conaultan:t h'~ld :imlivi(lua,l &~nd group meetings with the Darnley Ialcmd 'rnrtle farmers, as well as havirig one general meeting with about 60 hrte1'ested irnlanders~ explaining various aspects of sm,,, ·turtle biolo&Yt i:r:u;itruc:rtlng in oulti.:i:N') methods, iomd discussing economic and ma~looting faotorso After the two-day visit to D!'!.rnley Island e,nd 'Ghe re·ttlrl:1 ·to Port Morel!lby 9 the consultant showed colour slides of ·the !11ariculture 9 Ltd. farm ancl As was ·the case in ·i;h~i 1l.1rut1t 'I'el'l'i tory-9 JGhe Papu.a-New Guinea £U'ea ia va.stg often difficult of acc A response ·to th0 ·1968 on -the coa1Jt of Bougainville from Ma.kiri Plantation to Ara.pa Pl<~nte/Gion GrMn ·turUeiil and LeatlMn'baoka nesting geruirally (no noted cor1centre,tiont:J) o:n ·the mtd11 ir11h•nd. e,nd offalwr-e irlletsv with Greens more common the,n L\lle,the:r·baokc;i. 'l'h0re is no oonm10:1.'oial m&-~k;'!it in turtle in this area, all an:imo,ls caught ( mmG,lly. by with h\!!lad.s on lines) are consumed doroost:ically. A special feoding gt•ov.. nd m:rhed by the informant w1HJ ·bhe reefl!J on both aid.ea of Pok Pok a:nd in frcmt of Makiri Pla:nto,'don. There iB no prot11mt i ·1n3 or• l0gir11tt'tion l':ie&, tt11:tlee in the P&,pua- New Guinea r0gion ( thim inch:1,deB )~ no1• ia 1:1,ey evid1:11nco of extom1ive exploitation ooycmd catohing fm• domel'ltio oommm:irHcm. The Melanesiar1 oonf!idf!red ·to h<3 more motivated economically and tc) \'.lefftorn mu~h 0oonorny i~la;nd peoples of the Pacifice If the 'l'or:res s·trai·l;i;i i;i,w:l Sol(1mo:n Iciland0:rlfl I!flland e,re a:ny example of thia 9 the ooMulitibn·IJ tlmt ·t;he:ee iEl <1, ma:ck•'ld. fi.'1Y.n Mic:ronePJie, and Polywrnia which shows consid.liilr&ble :for r:1mal1 9 v1Jntur®[~ he:i.'e in turtle farming. Such !'!hcmlcI be able rapidly e.nd m1J'.l(l\'JEH3:tully into a weatern- styled economyv given e, working be,i'Je ma.rk,3t ftJ,e:i.lHie~;. The Darnley Ialaml •rur·Ue fa,r-1iu1 a:re a remnrt iri..:novi:i'don 9 bs1",'"ltl'l in of 1971 by Dre Bustard as a.n experiment tn both and, ·tiirUe M.ology i:md financed by a research grant. At the 1;u:'~' dr&'1;wing a EJme,11 fortnightly wago to tend the incu1Ja·Uilg t·1,1Ftlfi c~ggG vJ:1cl yomig turtl~Hi which a:i.'e mipplied to them from outside. They h1w0 maclt!1l :no cash c:nt·H The ·turtle farmi:i oorwist at of :t'ivo pen.s built cm "Gidal flata of firm9 muddy sand near the rna,b2 isl!Uld i:n ahE'll to:ci:ld where the fringing reef i~ibits strong wave action and the:Jra itl f'Jhelb:t' f'.:rorri '~he windl'le Ela.eh is 40 ft and made of closely SWJ'G bWJJboo.i (out on tho :l~~l&1tl) for1ning a about 15 The bamboos are set in a ·trench dug h1 the tid2J, flr.1,t and filled. with coral rock &.l'ound the bamboo basGs; water action has reotw'l'.!I~d ·the excavation aJ:Hl the hMHH.'I of tho bM1boos with sa.nd. Acee ss is by a pe,ir of ladds:r.•!'I a ®t Hl!l. On ,Gh® inner facet!! of each bamboo fence is fasten>1'Jd 1- in mesh ohiek®n wiI"'1 ll!xtendfog up for a.bou·t 8 ft above ground level, and bwide this is a 4 ft-high lining of ch6ap fish to prev~nt abrasion by the young turtles butting repeatedly the wire. The tid.al range ir~ about 7 ft maximum, a.nd the young turtle!i! a.re lof'~ stra:mlrad. at extreme low tide. Construotion has just been oompl~:rted 9 and are l!HJtablitiih'i'Jd for the oxoavation of a sha,11.ow pit in each pen so that the tu.l'tlos may ha"Ve a·t loa111t mh1ima.l swimming we:ber~ ev Feeding takes &'l:t the it waB The reef fls:ts on whif~h tho pen!:l axe eo:rmtructed support a clom'l~ short growth of turtle grass (Darnley is a, high island~ presumably wi"Gh f&,irly constant seepage of f'resh water out on to this fls;~ ). 'l1h® grnt'ls providtrn irnporte. ( i) A lo~·t;erm al.lI'\rey and inventm:-y of the marins turtle resources of PapuEJ-New Gui:oo9, sho11ld be und.er'Gaken, i'ilith mapping of nestinc and feed.il1g areas~ taggi1:ig9 and in m'3lected ax01;uJ of high den!!lHy uae, in-ililpth rrtudi('Jlf:I to cle·te:~'mine population sizea and dy:narnics. ThiB should p11 01ni'bly lJ0 based on 'i;he I•1 i1:1he~<>iee R1°)se1:i,rch Laboratory at Port Mo:t'ef~by 9 :rn.'ee1.11n&J>ly l>y the addition of a tre,ined scientist to the s'caff; an :tmp(J:t''Gan'~ of such a prograrnm~ should (ii) U:trb:i.1 such "dme tl.KI more iB known of 'Ghe statua of ·the riwxins ·tux·tle r•rncn11'CJ (iii) Dr. :Bustard. ohould 'be invihHl to a ililtailed description» with hlaok~a:mli-white photograph';i~ hh1 e:ii::pel'imeutd farn12 on Darnley Island. f'or cirouJ1:1,·t;im1 ·~o :i.ntHi>:t~atad government~3 and privat'!l ind:i;vidui::da in th@ Sout:h Pfl,oific M it modi'll of ona wa;y to approach the problem of ·turtl® oul'rnr~• a.t indui:rtey level0 Inaofar aa posaihle8 and hia proj®ot iB not repriHJented as an aooompliahed suco"'as !l,t this he ahcmld he encouraged "~O !?.. manual whloh prao'cieal quea·tions and d.oaori1J~ls 'i;ho rJolnt hml'l ()homm on Darnley Island. 5. CONSOLIDA'FED RECOMMri@)ATIQN~ ( i) In both of the la.:rgew n:rmu:i of the UoSo Trurrl; •rc,n'ritocy of the Pe,cific Iola,nda and long"0 tenn l'llff·vey and invcmtory prog:rrunmes of the marine 'h1rtle T.e1Jon:r.cc'1J r:ihould bEi lmde11 t Where inj.tial results indice,te turtle population1'1 and highe·density :nesting, in-depth studies of popula:tion Krtructun and d~y-.namics should be itw,ugurated and quantita;Uve est;imi;i;ter:; of tho resource should bt; attempted. (ii) The existing 'l'ruat Territory Sfatute governing the taking of aea turUes and their eggs should be clarified and revised as indicated in the specific recommenclatioYIB for tha;!; aree,; fl, frtrong attempt r~hould, be made to educate ,che public rege.rcling the le,wst and to begin their meaningful enforcement. In Papua-:ffow Guinee,9 no m:;ia turtle legiHlation should be enacted until and. unleBB the a,bove~reo00tr11 1 (iii) In the Trust 'I errito17 9 the este,'blishmeiyf. turt fo farms l:MJ businass investmentf'l should. be m.wh i;im(~ kM'! the resource has bt~im au'bjeci ·to a the ·beclmiqmrn :fo:r farming have lmen demorwtN1,ted ehHiwher<1 9 a.nd thl'I mex·le..3't forecast can be showi1 to be favourablo. In ·the ·ter:t'i·tory of Guim:H?. 9 ·the reverse is NCOOlIIJIEllld®do An attempt should 'b® mac'ki ·to 0ncou1'1ig't'l th® ostabliehment of EJ, small :U'l.i!nbol' of fEl/t'!llfil more o:r· leffln 'cho Darnley Isle,nd pa'1Jtern~ bu:t a& n®cesEJacy "t.o the ch'oums'tancos of the local aites aehHr~ed. Thii~ prog1•amme tJhould. bf~ undf.ll' the supe:1711'ieion of tho ll'i!'!ho1•iot11 Refl®®/t'ch ratheir the,n llUtlor o·~her branches of the Goir0n1Jneu1t 9 1Jecalul!e H will9 fo:t' rrnme yeari:J~ imrol ve more research than applied practice. (iv) In both arEHtBp hatchecy-cum-expe1'im ( v) In both the Trtuit Territor'y e,'nd Pe,puE,~:New Guinea~ !'H'llected a.reas of high nesting density (as soon atiil ·th•H>e ar<1 determined) rjhcmld lJe set asj.cJ..e as permanent reBerves, with resident st~,ff at leafoJ't during ·bhe periods of peak activity. TheBe reserves ma,y well be the best places for the iJF. depth popule,tion studies mentioned previously; it ira by no means cer'i;ain that they will be suitable Bites for hatchery 1md cuUure achemes, inasmuch as such activities coulcl be e.xpected. ·to have a dis'rn.rbing effect on the more important natural population studies. (vi) In ill cases where ·turtle farms and hatcheries dependent upon (vii) The sea turtle que ert ionnaire prepared by 'Ghe consultant in 1968 and circulated by the South Pacific Commission l'lhould be redrafted a.nd circulated again, dealing with ever"J possible source of information which can be id.entified within the entire area of the south and south west Pacific. Consideration should be giver1 to prepa1'ing the new questionnaire in more of a 11yErn-no 11 and 11 grad.ed-answer" format than the original version possessed, to facilitate easy and accurate response by persons unfamiliar with habits of turtles. Appropriate experts should also be consulted regarding the potential for making the questionnaire more compatible with modern teclmiques of de,ta storage and computer analysis. ITINERARY Wednesday, 9 June 1700 Departed Tucson ( W,;l;e line ) F.riday, 11 June 0600 Arrived Agana Sunday, 13 J1.ll16 1000 Departed Agan.a 1615 Arrived Majuro Sunday, 27 June 1500 Departed Majuro Friday, 2 July 0730 Arrived Bikar Saturday, 3 July 2230 Departed Bikar Monday, 5 July 1500 Arrived Kwajalein Thursday, 8 July 1325 Departed Kwajalein 1745 Arrived Agans, Wednesday, 14 July 0640 Departed Agana 0700 Arrived Manila Sunday, 18 July 2359 Departed Manila Monday, 19 July 0705 Arrived Port Moresby Tuesday, 20 July 0700 Departed Port Moresby 1830 Arrived Darnley Island F.riday, 23 July 0200 Depa;.r·ted Darnley Island 0900 Arrived Daru Saturday, 24 July 0900 Departed Da,ru 1100 Arrive(l Port Monisby Sunday, 25 July 1220 Departed Port Mox'esby 1730 Arrived Sydney Monday, 26 July 1600 Depai'ted Sydney 1940 Arrived Noumea 13 = PERSONS INTERVIEWED MARSHALL ISLANDS Mr. Peter Hill, Commtmity Development Advisor, Ponape, Caroline Islands (visiting Majuro in the Marshalls) Mr. Bujen L. Jacob, Chief District Sanitarian, Marshalls Mr. Douglas Barlow, General Sanitarian, Health Services, Saipan, Marianas Islands (visiting Majuro, Marshalls) Dr. Jack A. Tobin, Community Development Advisor, Majuro Mr. George L. Chan, Public Health Engir1eer, South Pacific Commission (visiting Majuro, Marshalls) Hon. Oscar de Brum, District Administrator, Marshall Islands (and native of Likiep9 near turtle island of Jemo in Marshalls) Mr. Ray McKay, Assistant District Administrator, Marshalls Mr. Zebedy Tarkwon, Economic Development Officer, Marshalls Mr. Jonathan Mate, Asst. Econ. Dev. Officer, Marshalls Mr. Alee Alik, Management Intern, District Admin. Office 9 Majuro, Marshalls Mr. Robert lve,:r·d, Heavy Equipment/Maintenance Supervisor, Bikini Atoll Rehabilitation Project (visiting Majuro, Marshalls) Mr. Mark Juda, Communications Group Advisor, Majuro, Marshalls (often gave services locally as informant; assisted in scientific expeditions during Japanese occupation of Marshalls) Hon. Arnata. Kabua 9 President of the Senate of Micronesia (President of Marshall Islands Import-Export Company a:1d member of wall-known family in Me,juro) Mr. Ajicl'dk Bien, Majuro, Ma. .rshalls (ahiP=O'l'mer and businessman) Hon. Nwnu Hermhw, Majuro9 Ma.rahalls (n111phew and executor of Leroj ( Queen ) Limojwa Lanite19 of the Ratak Chain of the Marshall Islands ru1d tnrner of Biw' Ato 11). Mr. Ieao Mizuochi 9 Director, Nan;yo Boeki Kaisha Ltd., 'l'olcyo (vifld.tingMajuro9 Marshalls); businessman interested in edible marine algae. MJ.•. Dwight Heine, Special Co:neultant to the High Cornmisl'liomr of the E.s. Trust Territory of the Pacifio9 Saipan., Mr. Tony de Brum, Comnnmi ty Ac-Hon Agency, Majuro 14 Dr. John IWJ1&n1 Director of Public Health Servio{::rn, Majuro (native of Gilbert Islands) Mr. Mo Ownby, Distad Rerpresentative, Kwajalein Mr. Ja.okie Jaoob, Majuro (ship's engineer on looal trading ship) GUAM Mr. Tommy P~re z, Asst. Trust Territo:r·y Liaison Officer, Agans. Capt. Gordon Findley, Trust Territory Liaison Officer, Agans, Mr. Wyman Xo Zachary, Director of Resources and Development, Office of the Hi~h Commissioner, u.s. Trust Territory of the Pacific, Saipan, MariMSI! (telephone interview f'rmi ) Mr. Den.iel Navarro de Ma.cab. Rezal 9 Manila, Philippines {busineaa man visiting Agana) PORT MORESBY Mro L. Winston Filewood9 Fisheries Research Officer, Papua-New Guinea Mr. Rex Pins, Fisheries Research Laboratory, Kanudi, Port Moresby Mr. Grant West, Fisheries Research Laboratory, Kanudi 1 Port Moresby Mr. Joe Glucksman, Fisheries Research Laboratory, Ka:nudi, Port Moresby Mr. A.C. Charles, Acting Deputy Asst. Director, Research and Survey, Department of Agriculture, Stock and Fisheries, Papua-New Guinea ])ft.RU Mr. Ernest Tarr, Fisheries Supervisor, Kanudi, Port Moresby Dr. Robert Bustard, Research School of Biological Sciences, Australian National University, Canberrt'l. (turtle researcher responsible for the Darnley Island turtle farms) Mr. Robert Burke 9 Govt0 School, Darnley Island Niss 1\Aty Pau 9 Darnley Island (turtle farmer) Mr0 Timoto China, Darnley Island (turtle f~r) Mr. Damoy Thaida,y, Darnley IslMd (turtle farmer) Mre Noel Baker, Darnley Island (headman of Elgrue Village) Mr. Selly Thaida,y 9 Chairman of Darnley Island - ·15 Mr. Mapoo Gela, citizen of Darnley Island Mr. Simon Gela, citizen of Darnley Island and police constable Mr. Aga.i Pilot~ citizen of Darnley Island Mr. Ettikai Pm1, senior school teacher, Darnley Island SYDNEY Dr. Donald Dunham, Regional Representative for New Zealand, Australia and Papua-New Guinea, U.N. Development Program Dr. H.c. Coombs, Chairman, Council for Aboriginal Affairs NOUMEA Mro J.A. Tubb, Director, SPIFDA Dr. R. Clutter, Co:rurnltant 0 SPIFDA