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MEPS 262:305-309 (2003)
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Abstract
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Satellite telemetry suggests high levels of fishing-induced mortality in marine turtles
Graeme C. Hays1,*, Annette C. Broderick1, Brendan J. Godley1, Paolo Luschi2, Wallace J. Nichols3
1School of Biological Sciences, University of Wales Swansea, Singleton Park, Swansea SA2 8PP, UK
2Dipartmento di Etologia, Ecologia, Evoluzione, University of Pisa, Via A. Volta 6, 56126 Pisa, Italy
3Department of
Herpetology, California Academy of Sciences, PO Box 752, Brookdale, California 95007, USA
*Email: g.hays@swan.ac.uk
ABSTRACT: Long-term records of nesting numbers, or proxies to nesting numbers, show a precipitous decline in the size of many sea turtle populations. Population declines are most frequently attributed to fisheries bycatch, although direct quantification
of this level of mortality is rare. We used satellite-tracking records for turtles in the Mediterranean Sea and Pacific, Atlantic and Indian Oceans to identify when turtles had been captured. Evidence for capture came from a combination of an increase in
good quality locations from transmitters, transmitters moving inland to coastal towns and villages, and on-board submergence data, showing that transmitters had come out of the water. A high level of mortality was calculated, confirming current concerns
regarding the outlook for sea turtles.
KEY WORDS: Argos · Chelonia · Dermochelys · Global · Fishery bycatch · Albatross
Full text in pdf format
Published in MEPS Vol.
262
(2003) on November 7
Print ISSN: 0171-8630; Online ISSN: 1616-1599.
Copyright © Inter-Research, Oldendorf/Luhe, 2003
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