hays-metaanalysis-2007.pdf (930.7 kB)
Meta-analysis of movements in Atlantic leatherback turtles during the nesting season : conservation implications
journal contribution
posted on 2007-05-24, 00:00 authored by J Y Georges, S Fossette, A Billes, S Ferraroli, J Fretey, D Grémillet, M Le, A Myers, H Tanaka, Graeme HaysGraeme HaysDespite decades of conservation efforts on the nesting beaches, the critical status of leatherback turtles shows that their survival predominantly depends on our ability to reduce at-sea mortality. Although areas where leatherbacks meet fisheries have been identified during the long distance movements between 2 consecutive nesting seasons, hot-spots of lethal interactions are still poorly defined within the nesting season, when individuals concentrate close to land. Here we report movements of satellite-tracked gravid leatherback turtles during the nesting season in Western Central Africa, South America and the Caribbean Sea, which account for about 70% of the world population. We show that during and at the end of the nesting season, leatherback turtles have the propensity to remain over the continental shelf, yet sometimes perform extended movements and may even nest in neighbouring countries. Leatherbacks exploit coastal commercial fishing grounds and face substantial accidental capture by regional coastal fisheries (e.g. at least 10% in French Guiana). This emphasises the need for regional conservation strategies to be developed at the ocean scale—both at sea and on land—to ensure the survival of the last leatherback turtles.
History
Journal
Endangered species researchVolume
338Pagination
225 - 232Publisher
Inter-ResearchLocation
Oldendorf, GermanyPublisher DOI
ISSN
1863-5407eISSN
1613-4796Language
engPublication classification
C1.1 Refereed article in a scholarly journalCopyright notice
2007, Inter-ResearchUsage metrics
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No categories selectedKeywords
at-sea movementsAtlantic Oceanby-catchcoastal fisheriesconservationDermochelys coriaceaendangered speciesLeatherback turtlenesting seasonsite fidelityScience & TechnologyLife Sciences & BiomedicinePhysical SciencesEcologyMarine & Freshwater BiologyOceanographyEnvironmental Sciences & EcologyDERMOCHELYS-CORIACEAIMPACTSWATERS
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