Decline of the sea turtles : causes and prevention / Committee on Sea Turtle Conservation, Board on Environmental Studies and Toxicology, Board on Biology, Commission on Life Sciences, National Research Council.

Format:

Book

Contributor:

National Research Council (U.S.). Committee on Sea Turtle Conservation.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Sea turtles.

Endangered species.

Wildlife conservation.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (275 p.)

Edition:

1st ed.

Other Title:

Sea turtles

Place of Publication:

Washington, D.C. : National Academy Press, 1990.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

This book explores in detail threats to the world's sea turtle population to provide sound, scientific conclusions on which dangers are greatest and how they can be addressed most effectively. Offering a fascinating and informative overview of five sea turtle species, the volume discusses sea turtles' feeding habits, preferred nesting areas, and migration routes; examines their status in U.S. waters; and cites examples of conservation measures under way and under consideration.

Contents:

Decline of the Sea Turtles

Copyright

Preface

Contents

Executive Summary

LIFE HISTORIES OF SEA TURTLES

SEA TURTLE DISTRIBUTION AND ABUNDANCE

SEA TURTLE POPULATION TRENDS

NATURAL MORTALITY OF SEA TURTLES AND REPRODUCTIVE VALUE OF LIFE STAGES

SEA TURTLE MORTALITY ASSOCIATED WITH HUMAN ACTIVITIES

The Shrimp Fishery

Other Fisheries

Dredging

Boat Collisions

Oil Platforms

Plastics and Debris

SEA TURTLE CONSERVATION

Eggs, Hatchlings, and Nesting Females

Nesting Habitat

Headstarting

Captive Breeding

Artificial Imprinting

Juveniles, Subadults, and Breeders

Prohibition of Intentional Harvest

Reduction of Unintentional Bycatch

Collisions with Boats

Oil-Rig Removal

Power Plants

Education

Research

CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Conclusions

Recommendations

1 Introduction

2 Biology

KEMP'S RIDLEY

General Description

Population Distribution and Habitats

Foraging Areas

Nesting Areas

Food Habits

Reproduction and Growth

Major Threats to Survival

LOGGERHEAD

GREEN TURTLE

HAWKSBILL

LEATHERBACK

OLIVE RIDLEY

3 Population Trends.

KEMP'S RIDLEY

SUMMARY

4 Distribution of Sea Turtles in U.S. Waters

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

Nesting Distribution

Pelagic Aerial Surveys

Sea Turtle Strandings

DISTRIBUTION

Nesting

Aerial Surveys

Strandings

ONSHORE, OFFSHORE, AND DEPTH DISTRIBUTION

5 Natural Mortality and Critical Life Stages

BIOTIC SOURCES OF MORTALITY

Predation

Eggs and Hatchlings on the Beach

Hatchlings as They Leave the Beach

Larger Juveniles and Adults in the Water

Nesting Females on the Beach

Diseases and Parasites

Other Nesting Turtles

Vegetation

ABIOTIC SOURCES OF MORTALITY

Erosion, Accretion, and Tidal Inundation

Heavy Rains

Thermal Stress

QUANTITATIVE STUDIES OF NATURAL MORTALITY

6 Sea Turtle Mortality Associated with Human Activities

MORTALITY OF SEA TURTLE EGGS AND HATCHLINGS

Beach Erosion and Accretion

Beach Armoring

Beach Nourishment

Artificial Lighting

Beach Cleaning

Increased Human Presence

Recreational Beach Equipment

Beach Vehicles

Exotic Dune and Beach Vegetation

MORTALITY OF SEA TURTLE JUVENILES AND ADULTS

Shrimp Fishing

Description of the Fishery

Distribution and Intensity of the Fishery

Seasonal Changes in Stranding, Shrimp-Fishing Effort, and Turtle Abundance

Strong Evidence of Shrimp Trawling as an Agent of Sea Turtle Mortality

Relation Between Sea Turtle Mortality in Trawls and Tow Time

Coincidence of Opening and Closing of Shrimp Season with Changes in Turtle Stranding on Adjacent ...

Relation Between Loggerhead Populations and Shrimping Effort

Quantification of Sea-Turtle Mortality in Shrimp Trawls

Relation Between Sea Turtle Stranding and Spatiotemporal Pattern of Shrimp Trawling in North Carolina.

Other Fisheries, Discarded Or Lost Gear, And Marine Debris

New England

New York Bight

Mid-Atlantic And Chesapeake Bay

South Atlantic

Gulf Coast

Collisions With Boats

Petroleum-Platform Removal

Entrainment Of Sea Turtles In Power-Plant Intake Pipes

Directed Take

Toxicology

Ingestion Of Plastics And Other Debris

7 Conservation Measures

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVE OF THE RECOVERY PLAN

DESCRIPTION OF CONSERVATION MEASURES

Increasing Or Maintaining The Supply Of Sea Turtle Eggs And Hatchlings

Increasing Protection Of Critical Nesting Habitats

Land Use

Erosion

Increasing Protection of Nesting Adults, Eggs, and Hatchlings

Beach Cleaning, Pedestrian and Vehicular Traffic, and Recreational Equipment

Experimental Conservation Practices

REDUCING ADULT AND SUBADULT MORTALITY ASSOCIATED WITH HUMAN ACTIVITIES

Intentional Harvest of Sea Turtles

Incidental Capture of Sea Turtles

Shrimp-Fishing Operations

Controlling Trawling Effort

Manipulating Trawl Selectivity and Efficiency

Tow-Time Limits

Other Commercial Fishing Activities

Dredging, Boat Collisions, And Oil-Rig Removal

COLLISIONS WITH BOATS

Power Plant Entrainment

Ingestion of Plastics, Debris, And Toxic Substances

EDUCATION AND TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER

Ted Technology Transfer

CONSERVATION EFFORTS IN OTHER JURISDICTIONS

Mexico

Other International Concerns

8 Conclusions And Recommendations

CONCLUSIONS

RECOMMENDATIONS

Conservation Measures

Reducing Incidental Deaths Of Juvenile And Adult Sea Turtles

Reducing Directed Harvest Of Sea Turtles

Reproduction-Related Protection

Research.

Sea Turtle Biology

Management Techniques

References

Appendixes

Appendix A Endangered Species Act Amendments of 1988

Title I-Endangered Species Act Amendments of 1988

Appendix B Interim Report

Background

Geographic Distribution

Index of Population Size

Long-Term Population Trends

Causes of Mortauty

Protective Measures

Legal Protection

Protection at the Nesting Colony

Turtle Excluder Devices (Teds)

Committee On Sea Turtle Conservation

Staff

Board On Environmental Studies and Toxicology

Board On Biology

Commission On Life Sciences

Appendix C Illustrations of Turtle Excluder Devices

Appendix D Aerial Survey Data Of Sea Turtles In Fishing Zones

Appendix E Sea Turtle Stranding Data

Appendix F Shrimp Fishing Effort, 1987-1988

Appendix G Annotated Chronological List of Educational Efforts on Teds for Fishermen by the National Marine Fisheries Service

1977

1980

1981

1981-1982

1982`

1983

1984

1985

1986

1987

1988

Appendix H Annotated Chronological List of Educational Efforts on Teds for Fishermen by Sea Grant

Texas Sea Grant

1982

Alabama Sea Grant

North Carolina Sea Grant

Georgia Sea Grant

Florida Sea Grant

Louisiana Sea Grant

Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium

South Carolina Sea Grant

Mississippi Sea Grant

1989

North Carolina Sea Grant.

Texas Sea Grant

Appendix I Newsletters and Notices Pertaining to Teds

Louisiana Shrimp Association

South Carolina Wildlife and Marine Resources

Center for Marine Conservation

National Marine Fisheries Service

Date unknown

Washington, D.C.

South Atlantic Fishery Management Council

Biographies of Committee Members

Index.

Notes:

Bibliographic Level Mode of Issuance: Monograph

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9786610212613

9781280212611

1280212616

9780309543422

0309543428

9780585144153

058514415X

OCLC:

427375025