This page includes information we have collected from various sources. We don't keep archives of this page. If something here interests you, make a copy of it instead of relying on a bookmark. We'll retain dated material until it expires, but most items are removed after a few weeks.
Education World bills itself as the site "where educators go to learn." For the week of April 19th, which includes Earth Day, Education World has prepared a suggested lesson plan that features sea turtles. Entitled "Tracking Sea Turtles: Lessons in Saving an Endangered Species", the plan includes links to Turtle Trax and numerous other sea turtle web sites. Even if you're not a teacher or student, this is a delightful summary of the wonderful sea turtle web resources that are available. Don't miss it!
The April 1999 Issue 84 of the Marine Turtle Newsletter is now available in PDF format at:
http://www.seaturtle.org/mtn/PDF/MTN84.pdf
Please note that you will need Acrobat Reader version 3.0 or later to read this document. You can get the latest version of Acrobat reader at Adobe's website. Note that the latest version (4.0) does not include search support. If you need to search your documents, get version 3.02.
Update: On April 14, The Environment News Service posted a news story about the Orissa arribada at:
http://ens.lycos.com/ens/apr99/1999L-04-14-04.html
Anyone who attended the 19th Annual Sea Turtle Symposium could not have missed the posters and presentations of the gravely concerned groups striving to protect the sea turtles of Orissa, India. The startling and often gruesome images from Orissa documented strandings in the thousands.
Of equal concern has been the failure of the olive ridley arribada to appear at Gahirmatha beach in 1997 and 1998. Combined with the apalling number of strandings, the lack of the arribada had raised the distressing possibility that the population of olive ridleys had been devastated beyond recovery.
It was therefore a great relief when Kathrik Ram forwarded the joyous news that the 1999 Gahirmatha arribada had begun. It is too early yet to know whether the numbers will reach previous levels, but at least we know that Orissa still has some turtles left.
Orissa has some highly dedicated and hard-working people who are doing everything they can to protect the turtle population. The arribada must have lifted an enormous burden from their shoulders, but they know only too well that the battle to save the turtles of Orissa is far from over. We share their happiness in these events, and hope that they succeed in making sure that there will always be arribadas at Gahirmatha.
The following press release was posted on the CTURTLE mailing list on April 8, 1999. For more information, contact:
Peter Fugazzotto or Todd Steiner, 415-488-0370
Joshua Floum, Legal Strategies Group, 510-450-9665
Giant legal victory for the sea turtles
Raises question of whether US can comply with World Trade Organization rulingNew York - In a much anticipated decision, a federal judge with the US Court of International Trade ruled (Slip Op. 99 - 32) in favor of maintaining increased sea turtle protections. Environmentalists are hailing this decision as a major victory that will only allow wild shrimp into the US from importing nations that employ policies that prevent sea turtles from drowning in shrimp nets. The 4/2 ruling is expected to create major ripples in the international trade arena, calling into question whether the US can comply with last year's World Trade Organization ruling without first changing the US law.
"This is not just a victory for the 150,000 sea turtles that would otherwise needlessly drown in shrimp nets," stated Todd Steiner, Director of the Sea Turtle Restoration Project, lead plaintiff in the case, "but this is also a victory for the environment worldwide. Finally, we have justice for the sea turtles."
The CIT wrote, "...the court concludes that the part of the 1998 guidelines which constitutes the decision to permit the importation of TED-caught shrimp from uncertified nations, on its face, is not in accordance with section 609." Environmentalists are anticipating the judgment to be entered in July, thus allowing other nations time to prepare for the embargo.
In September 1998, a coalition of environmental organizations, including the Sea Turtle Restoration Project, the Sierra Club, the Humane Society of the US, and the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, represented by the Legal Strategies Group, filed suit at the US federal Court of International Trade (Court # 98-0902818) to ensure that wild shrimp imported into the US is not caught by methods known to needlessly kill endangered sea turtles. The suit was in response to the State Department issuing new guidelines in August 1998 which environmentalists argued would allow for the importation of shrimp caught with methods deadly to sea turtles.
The CIT ruling is expected to create a stir in the international trade community. In October 1998, the World Trade Organization decided that the US law violated the rules of the free trade agreement. In December, the US said it would comply with the WTO ruling. In March, 1999, the State Department proposed regulations on how the US would comply with the WTO ruling, relying heavily on the shipment-by-shipment importation standard that the CIT has just ruled as illegal.
"The CIT's ruling calls into question exactly how the US will come into compliance with the WTO ruling," said Peter Fugazzotto, Associate Director of the Sea Turtle Restoration Project. "It's possible, given their repeated failure in the courts, that the State Department will go to Congress and try to change the law, surrendering to the will of the WTO. However, I don't think the American people will stomach that kind of attack on our laws."
He points to a growing backlash against international economic bodies, especially because of the disdain shown to environmental and social concerns. He adds, "Public support for international economic bodies is quickly eroding as shown by the two Congressional defeats of fast track legislation and the shelving of the Multilateral Agreement on Investments, not to mention sporadic rioting around the globe in response to economic crises."
This CIT victory will compel the government to return to a "nation-by-nation" standard for the importation of wild shrimp into the US. A nation-by-nation standard requires countries who wish to import shrimp into the US to establish national policies and practices requiring the use of Turtle Excluder Devices or other methods that achieve comparable levels of protection.
This victory ends the use of a "shipment-by-shipment standard", which environmentalists contend will result in large numbers of drowned sea turtles globally. A shipment-by-shipment standard allows individual shipments of shrimp to be imported from boats claiming to use Turtle Excluder Devices, even though other boats from that nation refuse to use Turtle Excluder Devices. Environmentalists point out the flaws of this importation basis including a questionable ecological benefit to sea turtle populations, the potential for the illegal laundering of shrimp into the country, and no economic incentive for nations to continue strong environmental policies.
"This legal victory establishes a strong precedent for the sovereignty of US laws over global trade bodies," stated Joshua Floum, attorney with Legal Strategies Group. "The right of nations to protect the environment stands reaffirmed."
All seven species of sea turtles are facing extinction. Without the use of protective technology, it is estimated that 150,000 drown in shrimp nets globally every year. A Turtle Excluder Device attached to a shrimp net prevents this needless drowning by more than 97%. This device only costs between $75 and $200. A provision of the US Endangered Species Act requires all countries that wish to import wild shrimp into the US to use Turtle Excluder Devices or other methods that achieve comparable levels of protection.
For more information on this issue, please visit www.seaturtles.org
Sea Turtle Restoration Project
PO Box 400
FOREST KNOLLS, CA 94933 USA
Phone 415 488 0370
FAX 415 488 0372
Email seaturtles@igc.org
At least once a month we scan the Internet for any new instance of the word "fibropapilloma." A March 22nd routine search turned up an article in the newsletter of the Sea Turtle Club of Bonaire announcing the first appearance of fibropapilloma disease on that island.
We advised the CTURTLE mailing list of this information, and informed George Balazs of the US National Marine Fisheries Service of this situation. Because Bonaire values its underwater resources highly, there is a considerable body of data gathered about Bonaire's reefs and underwater ecosystem. Additionally, the Sea Turtle Club has a comprehensive sea turtle sighting and monitoring system in place. Since fibropapilloma has not been found in Bonaire until now, this fotunate combination of resources means that there is enormous potential to learn more about this disease and how it spreads.
We have more detailed information about the Bonaire situation on our new Bonaire FP page.
The following opinion-editorial ran in the Corpus Christi Caller Times on 24 March 1999 in response to an article of 3/14 entitled "Commercial fishing ban near turtles' nesting area requested".
In response to the article on creating the Kemp's Ridley Marine Reserve off the coast of Padre Island, we wish to respond to comments by the TX Park and Wildlife Department stating "we need data to show we've got a crisis to recommend [the need for a reserve]..." we offer the following comments:
- During all of 1998, an estimated 1,600 Kemp's turtles nested in the entire world, down from 40,000 Kemp's known to nest in a single day in 1947. A growing number of these turtles nest in a single place in the U.S.-- Padre Island.
- Because of this population crash, the Kemp's ridley is recognized by the world's sea turtle scientists to be the most critically endangered sea turtle in the world (and thus the recent resolution calling for the marine Reserve passed unanimously at the international sea turtle symposium which included 700 scientists from 30 nations).
- 310 Kemp's ridleys, including 58 adults, have washed up dead on or near Padre Island in the past two years, more than any other place in the United States. The ratio of strandings to nests is as much as 600 times higher along Padre Island than at the Kemp's primary nesting beach in Mexico.
- A 1998 federal government report noted that female Kemp's ridleys seeking to nest at Padre Island "may have been reduced by half as a result of adult mortality at the beginning of the nesting season."
- The number of dead adult Kemp's ridleys found in 1988 in Texas far exceeded the number found during each year since the sea turtle stranding network was founded in 1980.
The Kemp's Ridley Marine Reserve is needed exactly because of the available data cited above. But TX Parks and Wildlife thinking must move beyond just dealing with the immediate crisis, and see the opportunities such a reserve offers. Commercial fishers, recreational fishers and tourist-oriented businesses can all benefit from the creation of the Kemp's Ridley Marine Reserve.
This Reserve would offer a sanctuary for all the marine creatures within it to grow and reproduce without the pressure of commercial fishing. Recreational fishing opportunities inside the Reserve would be enhanced and would increase tourism revenues. Without commercial fishing along its shores, Padre Island beaches would be relieved of the large quantity of trash that has been documented to come from commercial fishing vessels, benefiting beach users and the local governments and taxpayers that foot the bill for the cleanup.
Commercial fisheries would also benefit economically, as well. Evidence from around the world is accumulating showing that marine reserves help protect and improve commercial fisheries by creating a safe haven for shrimp and finfish to grow large before migrating to open waters-where they can be captured at a more profitable size.
The narrow zone along Padre Island that would be closed to commercial fishing represents a small percentage of commercial shrimping effort and harvest of Texas. By supporting the creation of the Reserve, Texas shrimpers could be the first in the nation and receive the benefits of positive publicity, instead of the constant barrage of negative publicity associated with the fishery from excessive bycatch, dead sea turtles and beach trash problems.
The data is available to act now. Let's not wait until the Kemp's ridley situation is a "crisis" beyond help. Let's move forward with a positive, forward-looking solution that benefits all involved.
Todd Steiner & Teri Shore
Sea Turtle Restoration Project
Wallace J. Nichols is acting as the collector for a group of volunteers who are organizing a unique fundraising idea: an hourglass that contains sand from as many as possible of the world's sea turtle nesting beaches. At the recent Sea Turtle Symposium on South Padre Island, Texas, the project received sand from numerous locations, but the collection is far from complete.
| World turtle design for T-shirts to be awarded to contributors to the nesting beach hourglass. Design courtesy Wallace J. Nichols (29K GIF) |
Contributors to the project will receive a T-shirt with a beautiful world turtle design that includes the word 'turtle' in 20 different languages and scripts. The sand will be enclosed in a stunning 75 cm tall hourglass, made of bronze and glass. The original will be auctioned off, miniatures of the hourglass will also be made available, and prints of the design will be sold for $10 each. All proceeds from the project will support international travel to the Symposium, an important component of global sea turtle conservation.
Design for the nesting beach hourglass that will be auctioned to support student travel to the Sea Turtle Symposium. Design by Wayne David Hand (51K JPG) | 
|
A number of nesting beaches are already represented, but there are many that are not. If you can collect a small amount of sand (about 100 ml) from a nesting beach not listed below, please forward your sample to:
W.J. Nichols
2103 Vallejo St.
San Francisco, CA 94123
Email: jnichols@ag.arizona.edu
Note that if the sample is dry and free of organic matter, you can send it to the United States without need of a permit or special declaration.
Here's a summary of the beaches already represented and the areas from which sand is desired:
The 19th Annual Symposium on Sea Turtle Biology and Conservation was held this year on South Padre Island, Texas. Beginning with the Latin Reunion on February 27, the Symposium continued with a mini-symposium on the Kemp's ridley on Tuesday, March 2, followed by general sessions commencing March 3, and winding up with the plenary session on the afternoon of Friday, March 5. Between sessions, participants had the opportunity to view over 160 posters and to attend several workshops. Congratulations and thanks to Dr. Dave Owens and his band of dedicated voluteers, who did their utmost to make the 19th roaring success.
Oh yes... we did manage to capture some of the action on videotape, so we've captured a few choice frames and given them their own page. Enjoy!
If you have news, pictures, stories, or anecdotes about sea turtles that you would like to have posted in this section of Turtle Trax, send us email:
howzit@turtles.org (Ursula Keuper-Bennett), or
honu@turtles.org (Peter Bennett)
X'cacel: Mexican nesting beach in trouble
18th Annual Sea Turtle Symposium at Mazatlan (English)
18th Annual Sea Turtle Symposium at Mazatlan (Spanish)
Huffy, the Turtle That Won't Give Up
The Remarkable Journey of Adelita
Kuwait Diving Team Rescues Trapped Sea Turtles
Summer of '98 at Honokowai
GTFP on the Internet
Project Paola
Hawaii Senate Resolution 29
Summer of '97 at Honokowai
Summer of '96 at Honokowai
The Turtle Trax Mahalo Page
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