STATUS OF SEA TURTLE CONSERVATION IN FIJI: AN ASSESSMENT OF THE INTERNATIONAL, REGIONAL AND NATIONAL FOCUS By JOYTISHNA NAVNITA JIT A Supervised Research Project (SRP) presented in the partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Masters in Arts (Marine Studies) School of Marine Studies University of the South Pacific JUNE 2007 Declaration of Originality I, Joytishna Navnita Jit, declare that this thesis is the result of my own work and that, to the best of my knowledge, it contains no material previously published, or substantially overlapping with material submitted for the award of any other degree at any institution, except where due acknowledgement is made in the text. I, Dr Joeli Veitayaki, declare that this thesis is the result of Joytishna Jit’s own work and that, to the best of my knowledge, it contains no material previously published, or substantially overlapping with material submitted for the award of any other degree at any institution, except where due acknowledgement is made in the text. I am satisfied with the state of the thesis for submission. ii Table of Contents Declaration of Originality ................................................................................................ ii Table of Contents .............................................................................................................iii Acknowledgements .......................................................................................................... vi Abstract...........................................................................................................................viii List of Acronyms............................................................................................................... x Chapter One: Introduction and Methodology ............................................................... 1 1.1. Background of Fiji Islands........................................................................................................2 1.2. Marine Conservation in Fiji Islands .........................................................................................................4 1.3. Implications of Tradition in Sea Turtle Conservation ..............................................................................7 1.4. Recent Developments in Sea Turtle Conservation Worldwide ................................................................8 1.5. A Sea Turtle Conservation Framework..................................................................................................12 1.6. Rationale for this Study..........................................................................................................................13 1.7. Approach and Methodology...................................................................................................................16 1.8. Expected Results ....................................................................................................................................17 1.9. Organisation of Thesis............................................................................................................................18 Chapter Two: What Makes the Sea Turtles Endangered?......................................... 20 2.1. Introduction ............................................................................................................................................20 2.2. Characteristics of Sea Turtles (Order: Testudines).................................................................................21 2.2.1. Green turtles (Chelonia mydas)...................................................................................................22 2.2.2. Hawksbill turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata)................................................................................23 2.2.3. Loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta)...........................................................................................24 2.2.4. Leatherback turtles (Dermochelys coriacea)...............................................................................25 2.3. Life History............................................................................................................................................27 2.4. Range and Distribution ..........................................................................................................................31 2.5. Sea Turtles Ecology ...............................................................................................................................34 2.6. Overview of Natural Causes for Sea Turtles Decline.............................................................................36 2.6.1. Evolutionary Trend......................................................................................................................36 2.6.2. Environmental Factors.................................................................................................................37 2.7. Overview of Anthropogenic Factors in Sea Turtle Conservation...........................................................39 2.7.1. Coastal Threats............................................................................................................................39 2.7.2. Offshore Threats..........................................................................................................................42 iii 2.8. Management Units for Sea Turtle Populations in the Pacific Ocean .....................................................47 2.9. Summary ................................................................................................................................................49 Chapter Three: Overview of International and Regional Sea Turtle Conservation Regimes .................................................................................................... 52 3.1. Introduction ............................................................................................................................................52 3.2. The International Regime.......................................................................................................................53 3.2.1. Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, Washington, 1973 (CITES)....................................................................................................................54 3.2.2. United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, Montego Bay, 1982 (UNCLOS) .................55 3.2.3. United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries .................................................................................................................................................57 3.2.4. Convention for the Conservation and Management of Highly Migratory Fish Stocks in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean (WCP Convention). .......................................................................58 3.2.5. Convention on Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS) or Bonn Convention.......................60 3.2.6. Convention on Biological Diversity Conservation, Rio de Janeiro, 1992 (CBD) ........................62 3.2.7. Convention on Wetlands of International Importance Especially as Waterfowl Habitat, Ramsar, 1971 (Ramsar Convention) ......................................................................................................64 3.2.8. Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage, Paris, 1972 (World Heritage Convention, WHC) ............................................................................................65 3.2.9. IUCN Resolution on incidental capture of marine turtles in pelagic longline fisheries, 1998 .....66 3.3. Regional Network on Sea Turtle Conservation......................................................................................67 3.3.1. Role of SPREP in Sea Turtle Conservation.................................................................................68 3.3.2. Role of SPC in Sea Turtle Conservation .....................................................................................77 3.3.3. Role of WWF Asia Pacific Programme in Sea Turtle Conservation...........................................78 3.4. Summary ................................................................................................................................................83 Chapter Four: National Mechanisms and Instruments for Sea Turtle Conservation.................................................................................................................... 87 4.1. Introduction ............................................................................................................................................87 4.2. Social and Cultural History of Sea Turtle Conservation in Fiji..............................................................89 4.3. Current Legislation and Policy Protecting Sea Turtles...........................................................................91 4.3.1. Fisheries Legislations ..................................................................................................................92 4.3.2. Sustainable Development Act 2005 ............................................................................................95 4.3.3. Endangered and Protected Species Act 2002 ..............................................................................96 4.3.4. Fiji’s Tuna Development and Management Plan ........................................................................97