Decline of the Sea Turtles Causes and Prevention (1990) / Chapter Skim
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8. Conclusions and Recommendations
8. Conclusions and Recommendations
Pages 144-153
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From page 144... ...
The Kemp's ridleys on the nesting beach at Rancho Nuevo, Mexico, have declined to about 1% of their abundance in 1947; since 1978, the number of nesting females has declined from about 700 to an estimated low of only 350 in 1989. This species is obviously the most critically endangered of all the sea turtle species.
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From page 145... ...
A wide range of human activities have been identified as causing sea turtle deaths. Those with effects especially on sea turtle eggs and hatchlings include various beach manipulations (e.g., fortification, deposition of sand, cleaning)
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From page 146... ...
Thus, the committee identified population declines in sea turtle populations, and it determined that the most important mortality factor has been the incidental capture of subadult and adult sea turtles in shrimp trawls. RECOMMENDATIOINIS Conservafion Measures The committee considered several options for conserving sea turtles.
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From page 147... ...
Although prohibition of shrimp trawling might be required as a "last-ditch" measure under the Endangered Species Act, appropriate application of existing technology-especially TEDs, innovative new technologies, and other conservation measures have the potential to reduce sea turtle mortality to a level that the populations can tolerate. The committee comments here on some of the available controls.
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From page 148... ...
The committee recognizes the need for NMFS to assess the effects of gillnet fisheries and the winter groundfish trawl industry on the incidence of turtle capture and mortality. If mortality is substantial, NMFS should consider expanding the regulations designed to protect sea turtles from drowning in trawl nets to include all bottom trawls and set nets, not only shrimp trawls.
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From page 149... ...
Possible actions include public purchase of undeveloped beaches for restricted, nonthreatening uses; public purchase of development rights for undeveloped beaches; prohibition of vehicular traffic on beaches during nesting and incubation periods; control of lighting in the vicinity of nesting beaches; predator control; and establishment of a marine park at Rancho Nuevo. The 16 km of undeveloped beach property between Melbourne Beach and Wabasso Beach, Florida, in the Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge proposed by the U.S.
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From page 150... ...
· Life stages and sex ratios, through increased efforts to count sea turtles of all age groups in as many habitats as possible; mortality estimates for all life stages are important.
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From page 151... ...
The effects of floating petroleum products on the reproductive and feeding behavior of turtles should be studied. To allow for the complete evaluation of the use of tow-time limits in trawl fisheries, research should address how enforced submergence affects sea turtle anatomy and physiology as a function of season, water temperature, species and size, time of day, and history of previous forced submergence.
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From page 152... ...
This test produced strong evidence that shrimp trawling at some places and times is responsible for 70-80% of the sea turtles found stranded on the beaches of Texas and South Carolina. In contrast, the committee was not able to develop similar tests of the degree to which plastic debris, oil pollution, and other factors affect the survival of sea turtles.
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From page 153... ...
That information is needed before the place of release of nursery-reared turtles is determined. The cumulative effects of human activities on nesting beaches should be quantified relative to the total available nesting areas, because the loss of nesting beaches through development or alteration could extirpate local populations.
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