International Case Studies of Sea Issue # 5 ….. Summary Turtle Restoration Conservation Strategies Hatchling disorientation Hatchery Solutions • Replace fluorescent and • Low incubation success 1. Beach protection: stop egg take-enhance hatchling production high intensity lighting • Turn off unnecessary lights 2. Head Start: enhance juvenile survival with low-pressure • Reposition lights • Incorrect hatchling sex ratio sodium vapor lighting 3. Fisheries management: reduce subadult and adult mortality • Shield light sources • Incorrectly imprinted hatchlings • Relocate hatchery to • Replace lights on poles with low profile, low-level lamps more appropriate site • Unhealthy hatchlings • Plant trees • Stop hatchery, establish • Disoriented hatchlings in situ incubation* * P. Perhentian - in 2002 Peter Dutton and Donna Dutton * Geliga - in 2003 Sea Turtle Restoration Projects Half-way technology Several examples of long term recovering trends: 1. Kemp’s ridley (Lepidochelys kempii) “Headstart” program (HS) Definition: 1. Kemp’s ridley-Rancho Nuevo, Mexico Padre Island, Texas A management strategy 2. Green turtles: FFS-Hawaii, Tortuguero-Costa Rica 2. Leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea) nesting beach protection 3. Leatherbacks: Caribbean (St. Croix), Natal-S.Africa St. Croix, US Virgin islands which treats symptoms 4. Olive ridleys: Escobilla-Mexico 3. Olive ridley (Lepidochelys olivacea) -elimination of harvest of rather than causes of an adults and sub-adults environmental problem What are the lessons from these success stories? Frazer (1992) Focus on all stages in turtle life cycle Demographic Model Leatherbacks Nesting in Natal, South Africa The most efficient 140 CASE STUDY: 120 way to reverse the 100 ST. CROIX - POPULATION IN decline of a turtle 80 RECOVERY population is 60 through reduction 40 20 of mortality in the 0 Donna L. Dutton, Peter H. Dutton, Rafe Boulon, 8 3 73 8 9 older life stages 9 9 9 Milani Chaloupka 1963 1968 1 1978 1983 1 1 Year (Crouse et al., 1987 Crowder et al., 1994) The way forward…integrated management ANNEX 3 | Presentation materials Number of leatherbacks nesting annually at Estimated number of hatchlings emerged at Sandy Point, St. Croix, USVI 1982-2001 Sandy Point, St.Croix, USVI 1982-2001 200 50000 180 45000 160 40000 140 35000 120 30000 100 25000 20000 80 NO. FEMALES 15000 60 NO. HATCHLINGS 10000 40 5000 20 0 0 1982 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 1982 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 YEAR YEAR St. Croix leatherbacks • Population increasing rapidly (~13% annually) • Nesting female survival probabilities high (~90%), and constant. Genetic Fingerprinting The WorldFish Center | Charting Multidisciplinary Research and Action Priorities towards the Conservation and Sustainable Management of Sea Turtles in the Pacific Ocean: A Focus on Malaysia Number of leatherbacks nesting annually at Estimated number of hatchlings emerged at Conclusions Sandy Point, St. Croix, USVI 1982-2001 Sandy Point, St.Croix, USVI 1982-2001 200 50000 • Beach protection and egg relocation can be effective management tools. 180 45000 160 40000 • High adult survivorship is needed. 140 35000 120 30000 100 25000 20000 80 NO. FEMALES 15000 60 NO. HATCHLINGS 10000 40 5000 20 0 0 1982 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 1982 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 YEAR YEAR St. Croix leatherbacks HS Methods: Headstart Goal: – Eggs collected from Rancho Nuevo, Tamaulipas, Mexico • Population increasing rapidly (~13% annually) – Establish a second nesting population of Kemp’s ridleys at Padre Island, Texas • Nesting female survival probabilities high (~90%), – Imprinting: Eggs incubated in boxes with Padre Island and constant. sand and hatchlings released in water there – Project began in 1978 as a joint Mexico-USA experimental project – Hatchlings immediately collected and raised in tanks in Galveston for 1 year – Turtles tagged and released in Gulf of Mexico or adjacent bays Genetic Fingerprinting ANNEX 3 | Presentation materials HS Results: (Shaver and Caillouet, 1998) Argument against HS: (Heppell et al., 1996) Number of Kemp’s ridley nests found on Padre Island; intermittently from 1948 to 1998. • Method: Used deterministic matrix models for yellow mud turtles and Kemp’s ridleys to examine the population level effects of HS. • Results: 1. 8 yr to maturity 2. 12 yr to maturity 3. 16 yr to maturity with HS Result highlights: without HS - The 1st positive ID of a HS turtle nest was found in 1996. Hypothetical population projections for Kemp’s with and without HS - In 1998, 4 turtle nests were found from 3 HS turtles. produced from a Leslie model for various ages to maturity, and with and without TED introduction in 1990. • Conclusions (Heppel et al., 1996): – Management efforts focused exclusively on improving Olive ridleys in Oaxaca, Mexico survival in the 1st year of life are unlikely to be effective for long-lived species such as turtles. – TEDs are necessary to ensure rapid population recovery. - Declining population in 1970’s-1990 - Ban on harvest of turtles offshore in 1991 – Due to limited funding for endangered species - Rapid recovery in late 1990’s management, money is more wisely spent on TED development and enforcement than on HS. – More information is needed on Kemp’s age at maturity and on the mortality and growth rates for both HS turtles and wild individuals to accurately evaluate the HS program. What about Pacific leatherbacks? Hope for the future: - beach conservation - Beach conservation, hatcheries implemented-but populations continue to decline. - fishery bycatch mortality reduction - Most likely, adult mortality significant factor preventing recovery. Need to couple nesting beach protection with at-sea measures to reduce mortality The WorldFish Center | Charting Multidisciplinary Research and Action Priorities towards the Conservation and Sustainable Management of Sea Turtles in the Pacific Ocean: A Focus on Malaysia HS Results: (Shaver and Caillouet, 1998) Argument against HS: (Heppell et al., 1996) Sea Turtle Conservation in the Scope of presentation Number of Kemp’s ridley nests found on Padre Island; intermittently from 1948 to 1998. • Method: Used deterministic matrix models for yellow mud Turtle Islands Park, Sabah turtles and Kemp’s ridleys to examine the population level { Introduction effects of HS. { Significance of TIP • Results: by { Early turtle Conservation effort in 1. 8 yr to maturity Paul Basintal Assistant Director, Sabah Parks Sabah 2. 12 yr to maturity { Turtle Conservation by Sabah Parks 3. 16 yr to maturity National Sea Turtle Workshop (Malaysia) 16 – 17 August 2004 { with HS Awana Kijal, Terengganu Research activities Result highlights: without HS { Lessons learnt - The 1st positive ID of a HS turtle nest was found in 1996. Hypothetical population projections for Kemp’s with and without HS - In 1998, 4 turtle nests were found from 3 HS turtles. produced from a Leslie model for various ages to maturity, and with and without TED introduction in 1990. 1 2 • Conclusions (Heppel et al., 1996): Map showing the location of Turtle Significance of Turtle Islands Park Islands Park (TIP) – Management efforts focused exclusively on improving Olive ridleys in Oaxaca, Mexico survival in the 1st year of life are unlikely to be effective for long-lived species such as turtles. { The TIP, together with six other islands designated by the Philippines, and Berau – TEDs are necessary to ensure rapid population recovery. - Declining population in 1970’s-1990 Island of Indonesia form one of the nine - Ban on harvest of turtles offshore in 1991 remaining major nesting habitats of the (1,740 ha.) green turtles in the world. – Due to limited funding for endangered species - Rapid recovery in late 1990’s management, money is more wisely spent on TED { The TIP “provide nesting habitat to the development and enforcement than on HS. largest remaining hawksbill turtle population in the entire Southeast Asian region” (Chan – More information is needed on Kemp’s age at maturity and & Liew, 1996; Limpus, 1994). on the mortality and growth rates for both HS turtles and wild individuals to accurately evaluate the HS program. 3 4 Early Turtle Conservation Efforts What about Pacific leatherbacks? Early Turtle Conservation Efforts (cont.) Hope for the future: - beach conservation { Attempts to conserve turtles, especially the { The Turtle Preservation Ordinance No.5 of - Beach conservation, hatcheries implemented-but hawksbill, started during the colonial 1952 was enacted. populations continue to decline. - fishery bycatch mortality period. Gazette notification Nos.227 and { Fauna Conservation Ordinance of 1963 reduction 228 of 1928 prohibited the capture of came into force in 1964. turtles for 12 months. - all matters relating to turtles were - Most likely, adult mortality significant factor preventing placed under the jurisdiction of the { A closed season every alternate year for six recovery. Conservator of Forests. years beginning 1929 was enforced but - a conservation policy was formulated with little success. In addition, the 1931 which banned the issuance of license and 1933 closed season was not enforced to kill turtles and strictly enforced because trade in sea turtle products shifted the close season in March for egg Need to couple nesting beach protection with from Kudat to the Philippines. collections. at-sea measures to reduce mortality 5 6 ANNEX 3 | Presentation materials Early Turtle Conservation Efforts Sea Turtle Conservation Programme (cont.) under Sabah Parks