Inter-American Convention for the Protection and Conservation of Sea Turtles Published by the Secretariat Pro Tempore of the Inter-American Convention for the Protection and Conservation of Sea Turtles Cover Photo: Hawksbill turtle in the waters of Saint Barthelemy, French West Indies. © Franck Mazéas. Back Cover Photo: Hawksbill hatchlings on Crawl Cay in the Pearl Cays, Nicaragua. © Victor Huertas This publication may be reproduced in whole or in part for educational and other non-profit purposes without special permission from the IAC Secretariat Pro Tempore, provided acknowledgement of the source is made. The IAC Secretariat Pro Tempore would appreciate to receive a copy of any publication that uses this report as a source. No use of this publication may be made for resale or for any other commercial purpose whatsoever without prior permission in writing from the IAC Secretariat Pro Tempore. Document citation Campbell, C.L. 2014. Conservation Status of Hawksbill Turtles in the Wider Caribbean, Western Atlantic and Eastern Pacific Regions. IAC Secretariat Pro Tempore, Virginia USA. 76p This publication is available electronically at: www.iacseaturtle.org and from: IAC Secretariat Pro Tempore 5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041-3803 U.S.A Tel: + (703) 358 -1828 E-mail: [email protected] Inter-American Convention for the Protection and Conservation of Sea Turtles Conservation Status of Hawksbill Turtles in the Wider Caribbean, Western Atlantic and Eastern Pacific Regions Prepared by Cathi L. Campbell, PhD September 2014 IAC Secretariat Pro Tempore • Virginia, USA Table of Contents EXECUTIVE SUMMARY................................................................................................................................................ ii INTRODUCTION............................................................................................................................................................. iii Purpose........................................................................................................................................................................... iii Objectives....................................................................................................................................................................... iii Geographic Context........................................................................................................................................................ iii WIDER CARIBBEAN AND WESTERN ATLANTIC REGION........................................................................................ 2 Distribution..................................................................................................................................................................... 2 Protection Status............................................................................................................................................................ 5 Recent Research............................................................................................................................................................ 8 Biology............................................................................................................................................................................ 8 Climate Change.............................................................................................................................................................. 9 Fisheries......................................................................................................................................................................... 9 Genetics......................................................................................................................................................................... 10 Growth............................................................................................................................................................................ 12 Habitat Use & Feeding Habits........................................................................................................................................ 13 Movements/Migrations................................................................................................................................................... 15 Other...............................................................................................................................................................................15 Principal Threats............................................................................................................................................................. 16 1-Fisheries Bycatch........................................................................................................................................................ 19 2-Turtle Fishing............................................................................................................................................................... 20 3-Killing Nesting Females............................................................................................................................................... 20 4-Terrestrial Habitat Loss/Deterioration........................................................................................................................... 21 5-Climate Change.......................................................................................................................................................... 22 6-Other Threats.............................................................................................................................................................. 23 Mitigation Measures....................................................................................................................................................... 24 EASTERN PACIFIC REGION.........................................................................................................................................30 Distribution..................................................................................................................................................................... 30 Protection Status............................................................................................................................................................ 32 Recent Research............................................................................................................................................................ 33 Genetics......................................................................................................................................................................... 33 Habitat Use, Feeding Habits, Movements & Migrations................................................................................................. 34 Fisheries......................................................................................................................................................................... 35 Nesting Biology.............................................................................................................................................................. 35 Other...............................................................................................................................................................................35 Principal Threats............................................................................................................................................................. 36 1-Fisheries Bycatch........................................................................................................................................................ 37 2-Egg Extraction............................................................................................................................................................. 38 3-Habitat Alteration......................................................................................................................................................... 38 4-Climate Change.......................................................................................................................................................... 38 5-Direct Capture and Take............................................................................................................................................. 38 Mitigation Measures....................................................................................................................................................... 39 RECOMMENDATIONS AND PRIORITY CONSERVATION ACTIONS..........................................................................40 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.............................................................................................................................................. 42 LITERATURE CITED..................................................................................................................................................... 42 APPENDICES I, II, & III..................................................................................................................................................52 i Hawksbill Conservation Status Update 2014 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Interest in and concern for the conservation and recovery of the hawksbill sea turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) was heightened