Marine Turtle Newsletter - Seaturtle.org

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U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service, Marine mammal Commission, and the Sea Grant College Program at the University of Hawaii. Please send inquiries to ...
Marine Turtle Newsletter Number 43 November 1988 Editors: Karen L. Eckert, Scott A. Eckert Department of Zoology University of Georgia Athens, Georgia 30602 USA Editorial Board: Nat B. Frazer, Nicholas Mrosovsky, David W. Owens Peter C. H. Pritchard, James I. Richardson

NINTH ANNUAL SEA TURTLE WORKSHOP The Ninth Annual Workshop on Sea Turtle Conservation and Biology will be held at Jekyll Island, Georgia, 7-11 February 1989. The host for this year's meeting will be the Georgia Sea Turtle Cooperative Research and Education Program. Since the first humble Workshop in 1981, the event has evolved into a highly professional scientific meeting. International participation grows each year, with professionals attending from Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean, and the Pacific. Attendance is expected to exceed 300 this year. Federal and state agencies, local municipalities, universities, and foundations will be represented, as will private individuals involved with the conservation, research, and management of sea turtles. During the meeting, panels of experts will provide public forums for debate on issues such as research needs, funding priorities, and management techniques. Paper sessions range from research to applied management and conservation. The 1989 Workshop is expected to highlight anatomy and histology, creative financing, protection and management of Florida's loggerhead sea turtle nesting beaches, progress toward implementation of the TED [see MTN 43:3-6], cooperative studies with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (dredging and beach renourishment), the status of the Kemp's ridley recovery program, current techniques for sexing sea turtles, and research and management needs in the Wider Caribbean. A Workshop priority has always been to provide students with the opportunity to get involved with sea turtles, to meet professionals working in the field, and to present the results of their labor. The Workshop is also a reunion of friends, a time to share experiences and concerns, and a time to have fun! Please join us! For further information, contact DR. JAMES RICHARDSON, Institute of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens,Georgia 30602. 1

DEATH OF A GIANT On 23 September 1988, the largest leatherback sea turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) ever recorded was found dead on Harlech beach in Gwynedd, Wales. The animal, an adult male weighing 2016 pounds (916 kg), boasted a curved carapace length of 101 inches (256.5 cm); plastral length and width were 53 inches (134.6 cm) and 32 inches (81.3 cm), respectively. Foreflipper span, measured ventrally from flipper tip to flipper tip, was 94.75 inches(240.7 cm). An autopsy team, led by Peter Morgan (Keeper of Zoology, National museum of Wales), reported the cause of death to be drowning. A tightly compacted piece of plastic (15 x 25 cm) blocked the entrance to the small intestine and could have contributed to the death. Dr. John Davenport (University College of North Wales, Bangor) collected tissue samples during the autopsy in order to assess the presence of PCBs and heavy metals; he also hopes to explore aging techniques using humeral sections. Dr. Harford Williams (Director, Open University of Wales) is examining the gut and other tissues for parasites. While the ingestion of plastic may or may not have contributed directly to the death of this animal, the ingestion of plastics by marine turtles is an increasingly lethal problem (Balazs, 1985; Carr, 1987; Fritts, 1982; Gramentz, 1988; Laist, 1987). The amount of waste (including plastics) discharged into the oceans annually has reached astounding levels. The National Academy of Sciences estimated, over a decade ago, that oceangoing vessels discarded 14 billion pounds of cargo and crew wastes (including plastics) every year. According to an educational brochure designed to highlight the problem (developed by the Center for Environmental Education, the U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service, and The Society of the Plastics Industry), merchant ships generate almost 90% of all wastes found in the world's oceans. Every day the world's fleet tosses 5.5 million containers into the sea. The death toll rings for sea birds, sea turtles, seals ... even the great whales. The recent death of the leatherback stranded in Wales received comprehensive media attention, both in the United Kingdom and elsewhere. Chris Luginbuhl, Director of the David E. Luginbuhl Research Institute for Endangered Species, has designed, in cooperation with Jim Hubbard (Academy-Award winning cinematographer), several public service announcements focusing on the problems generated by the discharge of plastics at sea. Readers interested in obtaining these announcements for local broadcast are encouraged to contact Chris (address below). Readers interested in further details on the autopsy and/or subsequent findings, please contact PETER MORGAN , National Museum of Wales, Cathays Park, Cardiff, CF1 3NP Wales, UNITED KINGDOM. The turtle is currently undergoing preparation for permanent display at the National Museum of Wales. Balazs, G. H. 1985. Impact of ocean debris on marine turtles: entanglement and ingestion. In: R. S. Shomura and H. 0. 2

Yoshida (eds), Proc. Workshop on the Fate and Impact of Marine Debris, 26-29 November 1984, Honolulu, Hawaii. NOAA Tech. Memo. NOAA-TM-NMFS-SWFC-54. pp.387-429. Carr, A. 1987. Impact of nondegradable marine debris on the ecology and survival outlook of sea turtles. Mar. Pollut. Bull. 18 (6 Part B):352-356. Fritts, T. 1982. Plastic bags in the intestinal tracks of leatherback marine turtles. Herp. Rev. 13:72-73. Gramentz, D. 1988. Involvement of loggerhead turtle with the plastic, metal, and hydrocarbon pollution in the central Mediterranean. Mar. Pollut. Bull. 19(l):11-13. Laist, D. W. 1987. Overview of the biological effects of lost and discarded plastic debris in the marine environment. Mar. Pollut. Bull. 18 (6 Part B):319-326. Department of Zoology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia USA 30602 and CHRIS LUGINBUHL, P.O. Box 263, Ellington, Connecticut USA 06029. KAREN L. ECKERT,

MARINE DEBRIS CONFERENCE Marine debris is more than an aesthetic problem in the world's oceans, shorelines and waterways. Its impact on the living resources include the injury and mortality of several marine species: fur seals, Hawaiian monk seals, marine turtles, seabirds, fishes and shellfishes. Since the first international Workshop on the Fate and Impact of Marine Debris was held in Honolulu, Hawaii, in 1984, a substantial body of information on marine debris has been amassed, heightening scientific, legal and political recognition of the marine debris problem. The Second International Conference on Marine Debris is intended to provide a forum to present and evaluate the various aspects of the marine debris problem and potential solutions. The Conference will be held 2-7 April 1989 in Honolulu, Hawaii, and is sponsored by the U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service, Marine mammal Commission, and the Sea Grant College Program at the University of Hawaii. Please send inquiries to RICHARD S. SHOMURA, National Marine Fisheries Service, 2570 Dole Street, Honolulu, Hawaii 96822-2396 USA. Reduced rates are available for students.

TED REGULATIONS IN USA WATERS Shrimp trawlers operating in offshore waters in the Gulf of Mexico and southern North Atlantic must begin using Turtle Excluder Devices (TEDs) in their nets or reduce trawl tow times beginning 1 May 1989. The regulations are designed to protect endangered and threatened sea turtles that are accidentally caught and drown in shrimp trawl nets. The TED requirement applies to trawlers 25 feet long or longer, fishing in offshore waters from, Texas to North Carolina. Trawlers less than 25 feet long must restrict trawl tow times to 90 minutes or less. 3

Any trawler fishing in inshore waters must either use TEDS or restrict tow times to 90 minutes or less beginning 1 May 1990. Inshore and offshore waters are separated by the 72 COLREGS DEMARCATION line, shown on nautical charts published by NOAA (coast charts 1:80,000 scale). The regulations were in effect earlier this year but were delayed by a Federal District Court order and later by Congressional action. The TED/tow time requirements have been in effect in the Cape Canaveral area of Florida since 1 September 1987, and were unaffected by the congressional action. National marine Fisheries has gear specialists available to help shrimpers obtain and install TEDs. To obtain information on TED manufacturers, contact CHUCK ORAVETZ , National Marine Fisheries Service, 9450 Koger Boulevard, St. Petersburg, Florida 33702 USA (telephone: 813-893-3366). Gear experts can be reached through JOHN WATSON, National Marine Fisheries Service, Pascagoula Laboratory, 3209 Frederic Street, Pascagoula, Mississippi 39567 USA (telephone: 601-762-4591).

TEDs AND THE LAW : A SUMMARY During the last week of September, the United States Congress resolved that shrimp fishermen will have to start using Turtle Excluder Devices (TEDs) in their trawl nets beginning 1 May 1989. In the final hours, critical support was given by several members of Congress; chief among the proponents were Congressmen Gerry Studds (D-MA), Arthus Ravenel (R-SC), Robert Lindsay Thomas (DGA), Buddy MacKay (D-FL), and Mike Lowry (D-WA). This decision has been several years in the making. On 29 June 1987, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) in the U.S. Department of Commerce issued final regulations requiring some shrimp fishermen to use TEDs at some times. These regulations were based upon joint industry/conservation community recommendations and comments from thousands of citizens. The regulations required that fishermen operating in inshore bays and sounds use TEDs or trawl for less than 90 minutes during all or part of the shrimping season, depending on the geographical area. In offshore areas, fishermen operating boats longer than 25 feet were to use TEDs during all or part of the shrimping season depending on the geographical area. The requirements applied to shrimp fishermen from North Carolina to Texas. The regulations allowed the use of five different types of TEDs [six are now approved, see MTN 43:6] and provided for the approval of new types that exclude sea turtles at least 97% of the time. In October 1987, the regulations went into effect in the Cape Canaveral (PL) area. Shrimpers there experienced considerable success with two different designs of TEDs, but actions by Congress and federal courts temporarily suspended the regulations. 4

In June 1988, the state of South Carolina promulgated its own regulations requiring the use of TEDSin all state waters. This action was taken to protect nesting female loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) which in the past had washed ashore by the hundreds after the beginning of the shrimping season. Two federal courts rejected challenges to the TED regulations. In February, the federal district court for the Eastern District of Louisiana rejected claims by the state of Louisiana and the Concerned Shrimpers of America that the TED regulations were arbitrary and capricious. However, the district court did grant the state's request for an injunction against the regulations while the state appealed to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. On 11 July 1988, the Fifth Circuit Court rejected the state's appeal but delayed the effective date of the regulations until 1 September. The court concluded, "The relationship of shrimping to sea turtle mortality is strongly demonstrated by data contained in the administrative record." And, " There is substantial evidence in the administrative record indicating that anticipated catch loss resulting from the use of TEDs will amount to no more than 5%." The South Carolina Shrimpers Association challenged state TED regulations soon after they were promulgated in June. Twice the State Supreme Court upheld the regulations in the face of these challenges, most recently on 26 August. The TED regulations were a major source of controversy in the reauthorization of the U.S. Endangered Species Act (ESA). In the last year, the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate each passed bills reauthorizing the ESA. The two bills handled the phase-in of TEDs in the shrimp fishery in different ways. Negotiations between the two houses of Congress in September resolved differences between the two versions of H.R. 1467. The Senate approved the negotiated text on 19 September and the House followed suit on 26 September. In the end, the House and Senate agreed that the requirements that some shrimp fishermen use TEDs offshore at specified times should take effect on 1 May 1989 (public law 100-478). Requirements that fishermen reduce tow times or use TEDs in inshore areas are to take effect 1 May 1990. The U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate also agreed that the Secretary of Commerce should contract with the National Academy of Sciences for a study of a variety of matters regarding sea turtles, including the status and distribution of sea turtles under U.S. jurisdiction. For several years, state and federal governments have dedicated substantial sums of money to introducing fishermen to TEDS. During 1988, NMFS plans to spend nearly $1.2 million in demonstrating the construction and use of the various TEDs. 5

Several industry organizations are actively assisting in these efforts. In support of similar activities, several states have used rebate funds from fuel overcharges by petroleum companies in the 1970's. Georgia has dedicated about $300,000 to purchasing two TEDs for each of its shrimp fishermen. Florida is using about $80,000 for training. North Carolina has dedicated a similar amount to testing various TED designs. South Carolina is currently seeking fuel rebate funds for TED activities. The Texas state legislature has passed legislation that makes available nearly $1 million in fuel rebate funds for support of TED activities. Much work remains for all of us. We must encourage increased efforts to make technical assistance available to fishermen. And at the same time, we must insure that federal and state agencies continue to enjoy public support for implementing this critical sea turtle conservation measure. MARYDELE DONNELLY and MICHAEL WEBER, Center for Environmental Education, 1725 DeSales Street NW, Washington, D.C. 20036 USA.

PARRISH TED CERTIFIED A Turtle Excluder Device (TED) developed by Steve Parrish, a North Carolina trawl maker, was certified by regulations issued 1 September 1988. The Parrish TED is made of 8-inch stretch poly webbing. This brings a total of six TEDs now certified for use in the United States. Regulations with description are available from the Protected Species Branch, National marine Fisheries Service, 9450 Koger Boulevard, St. Petersburg, Florida 33702.

THE LOGGERHEAD IN GUYANA The loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) nests sparsely in Venezuela (Pritchard and Trebbau, 1984) and rarely in Trinidad and Tobago (Bacon, 1981). From Surinam, Brongersma (1968) reports three immature specimens (RMNH 6182 and 13939; a third in the Surinaams Museum, unnumbered) and Schulz (1975) reported a single nesting recorded by R. Hill and D. Green in May 1969. However, until now the species has not been recorded from Guyana, and I had heard no mention of it (nor seen any specimens) in the course of sporadic field work in that country beginning in 1964. I was therefore impressed, when visiting the taxidermy room of the Guyana National Museum in April 1988, to note a fresh head of an adult Caretta undergoing preservation and preparation. Enquiries revealed that the turtle had been caught in Guyana waters by a shrimp trawler. The specimen unfortunately was not destined to provide a permanent voucher of this record, since it was being prepared under contract to the trawler captain, to whom it would be returned after preparation (with a light bulb in its 6

open jaws) as a reading lamp. The following week, while undertaking turtle nesting patrols on Almond Beach (near Waini Point close to the Venezuelan border), I found remains of five species of sea turtle at this one site. In addition to the abundant remains of adult green turtles, one fresh and various old leatherback skeletons, several old hawksbill remains, and a single fresh shell of an olive ridley, I found the remains of several immature turtles, including a green turtle approximately 20 cm in carapace length and the fragmentary remains of two loggerheads (estimated carapace lengths 25 and 35 cm). I surmise that these immature turtles were caught in long set-nets placed in the water adjacent to the nesting beach; they had presumably been butchered along with the fish caught in the same nets, and the remains left on the upper part of the beach, well above the tidal zone. The above-mentioned specimens were collected, and will ultimately be imported into the U.S. and incorporated into my personal collection. Bacon, P.R. 1981. The status of sea turtle stocks management in the western Central Atlantic. West Central Atlantic Fish. Comm. Studies 7:1-38. Brongersma, L.D. 1968. Notes upon some sea turtles from Surinam. Proc. Koninkl. Nederl. Akademie van Wetenschappen, Amsterdam, Ser. C, 71, 2:114-127. Pritchard, P.C.H. and P. Trebbau. 1984. Turtles of Venezuela. Soc. Study of Amphibians and Reptiles, Special Publ., 403pp. Schulz, J.P. 1975. Sea turtles nesting in Surinam. Stichting Natuurbehoud Suriname (STINASU), Verhandeling Nr. 3:1-143. PETER C. H. PRITCHARD, Florida Audubon Society, 1101 Audubon Way, Maitland, Florida 32751 USA.

PIT TAG CENTRAL DATA REGISTRY PIT (Passive integrated transponder) tags (Fontaine et al., 1987 MTN 41:6) may prove to be a better way of permanently marking individual sea turtles than currently used flipper tags. Because use of the internally implanted PIT tag is increasing, it was decided by the Kemp’s Ridley Working Group at the October 1987 meeting in Albuquerque, New Mexico (USA), that the U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), Southeast Fisheries Center (SEFC), Galveston Laboratory will act as the central registry for data on PIT tags used to tag captive and wild sea turtles. The centralized data file will allow researchers who find a sea turtle with a PIT tag, and are not able to identify the person or organization who tagged the animal, to contact the Galveston Laboratory and request a computer search to determine who applied the tag, and where and when the turtle was tagged. The Galveston Laboratory will maintain a data base containing tag numbers (codes), species, tagging organization, release information and recovery information. Data forms for recording 7

release and recovery information have been developed, following formats similar to those of the Sea Turtle Stranding and Salvage Network’s Cooperative Marine Turtle Program form and Stranding Report form. All information collected will be entered and stored using dBASE III date management software on a personal computer (IBM PCAT compatible). Copies of the release and recovery forms can be requested from the Galveston Laboratory at the address following this announcement. Upon use of PIT tags, PIT T ag Release Data forms should be completed and sent to the Galveston Laboratory. When a turtle is tagged with a PIT tag, I suggest the implanted tag number (code) be checked with ID reader and the displayed tag number (code) be recorded. This is a double-check to make sure the tag number (code) recorded for an individual turtle is the one actually implanted into that turtle. Also, record any other tag numbers (codes) from inconel, monel, titanium or plastic flipper tags and record any tag scars or living-tags if present. When a sea turtle is recovered and a PIT tag detected, send the Galveston Laboratory a copy of the PIT Tag Recovery Data form. If information on tagged, released and recovered animals is sent to the Galveston Laboratory on a timely basis, the data will be entered into the computer and kept up to date for availability upon request. SHARON A. MANZELLA, Life Studies Division, NMFS/SEFC Galveston Laboratory, 4700 Avenue U, Galveston, Texas 77551-5997 USA.

SCUTES RESERVED FOR LIVING TAGS : AN UPDATE Living tags on carapace scutes are being used, in conjunction with metal flipper tags and magnetic binary wires tags (Fontaine et al., 1985, NOAA Tech. Memo, NMFS-SEFC-158) to distinguish year-classes of head-started Kemp’s ridley sea turtles, Lepidochelys kempi (Caillouet et al., 1986, MTN 36:5-6). Originally, neural scutes were among those identified as sites for living-tags for head-started Kemp’s ridleys of the 1986, 1987, 1991 and 1992 year-classes. However, we encountered a number of difficulties applying the living-tag to neural scute 4 of turtles from the 1986 year-class. The carapace apparently hardens first along the midline or neural ridge, consequently, the living-tag must be applied to neural scutes much sooner during the head-start period than to other carapace scutes. It is extremely difficult to affix the living-tag tissue graft to neural scutes on small juvenile Kemp’s ridleys because the scutes are smaller than the other carapace scutes. Also, when neural scutes are soft enough to receive a living-tag, the turtles are too small to be subjected to the rigors of this tagging technique. Living-tagging of the 1986 year-class on neural scute 4 resulted in a relatively high incidence of tag loss (18%) prior to releasing the turtles. Therefore, we have dropped neural scutes from the list of scutes designated for living-tagging head-started Kemp’s ridleys 8

The new schedule and locations for living-tags are shown below. Table 1. Carapacial scutes used or proposed for living-tagging head-started Kemp's ridleys. RC = right costal, LC = left costal, N = neural, LH = left humeral, RH = right humeral, LP = left pectoral, RP = right pectoral, LA = left abdominal.

YEAR

SCUTES

YEAR

SCUTES

1980

LC2, LC3, RC2, RC3, RC4, N2, N3, LH, LP, LA (some individuals were tagged between scutes RC2 and RC3, RC3 and RC4, LP and RP or LH and RH)

1981 1982

None living tagged LC31

1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992

LC4 LC5 RCS N4 RC1 LC1 RC4 RC2 LC2 RC3

CLARK T. FONTAINE, THEODORE D. WILLIAMS and CHARLES W. CAILLOUET, Jr., National Marine Fisheries Service, Southeast Fisheries Center, Galveston Laboratory, Galveston, Texas 77551-5997 USA.

HATCHLING KEMP'S RIDLEY STRANDS AT GALVESTON ISLAND, TEXAS A live hatchling Kemp’s ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys kempi) was found stranded on the beach by Amanda K. Bollman and Timothy B. Allen of Houston, Texas, on 31 July 1988 near San Luis Pass (Galveston Island, Texas). The turtle was found in sargassum weed in the surf wash line. It weighed 20.3 grams, and measured 5.0 cm straight line carapace length and 4.5 cm straight line carapace width. The hatchling had a small wound between costal scutes 4 and 5 and there was a gooseneck barnacle (Lepas sp.) attached to neural scute 2. A considerable amount of algae was present on the carapace and the turtle appeared to be emaciated. This hatchling is being rehabilitated by the National Marine Fisheries Service Sea Turtle Head Start Research Project staff in Galveston and is being kept in isolation from other head start animals. The turtle is being fed fresh squid daily to satiation. Attempts are being made to feed it Purina Turtle Chow, although presently the hatchling will not feed on the prepared diet. If this hatchling survives, we plan to tag and release it with the 1988 head start year-class in the spring of 1989. CLARK T. FONTAINE, THEODORE D. WILLIAMS, and CAROLINE TURNER, National Marine Fisheries Service, Southeast Fisheries Center, Galveston Laboratory, 4700 Avenue U, Galveston TEXAS 77551-5997. 9

DISTRIBUTION OF PELAGIC SEA TURTLES Researchers at the Archie Carr Center for Sea Turtle Research at the University of Florida (USA) are conducting a long-term study on the biology of pelagic-stage sea turtles. The study is funded through the marine Entanglement Research Program of the U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service. A major focus of this research is the effect of marine debris on sea turtles in the pelagic habitat. We are distributing sea turtle observation report forms to research vessels and to individuals interested in participating. We hope to accumulate records of turtles affected by debris (ingestion or entanglement). These records will be added to the turtle/debris database maintained by George Balazs in Hawaii. From these observation record forms, we will also develop a database on the distribution of sea turtles in pelagic habitats. We hope the database will allow us to identify areas where pelagic-stage sea turtles can be seen on a predictable basis. Studies of the biology of these turtles can then be undertaken. If you are interested in participating in the program, please contact DR. ALAN BOLTEN, Archie Carr Center for Sea Turtle Research, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611 USA. Telephone: 904-392-5194.

IDENTIFYING SEA TURTLE PRODUCTS Using a radioimmunoassay for albumin or other serum proteins, we are often able to identify samples of sea turtle products for wildlife agencies. Fresh or frozen soft tissue can usually be identified fairly readily by electrophoresis or simple immune precipitation, but soluble protein in bone and dried or processed soft tissues may fall below detection limits for these techniques. Because RIA has a considerably lower detection threshold, we have been able to successfully identify materials such as cooked turtle oil and dried penis, the latter sold as an aphrodisiac. The same approach has worked for putative rhino hoof, horn, and hide and a range of other endangered species products. For additional information, please contact: DR. WILLIAN RAINEY, Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720 USA.

REQUESTS FOR INFORMATION Sind Wildlife Management Board requests information about the following tag series: 1) W0001 - W5000 Monel size 19 inscribed with: Return for Reward Sind Wildlf. P.O. Box 3722 KARACHI - PAKISTAN 10

2) W5001 - W11000 Monel size 19 inscribed with: P.O. Box 3722 KARACHI If anyone encounters a turtle having these tags or any other information about these tags, please contact FEHMIDA FIRDOUS, Project officer, Marine Turtle Project, Sind Wildlife Management Board, P.O. 3722, Stratchen Road, Karachi PAKISTAN. Thank you. In 1987, STINASU began tagging olive ridley sea turtles nesting in Surinam. K. MOHADIN (Director) writes: The number of ridley nests on the Surinam beaches is declining and until now we do not know the exact reason [for] this decline. This tagging program has been set up by STINASU in the hope that tag returns will [inform] us about their fate. We therefore do hope that all countries will cooperate in recording tag recoveries. The tags the ridleys are tagged with are marked PPE and tag recoveries should be returned to: National Marine Fisheries Laboratory, Virgin ia Key, Miami, Florida 33149 USA. Thank you.

BIBLIOGRAPHY OF MALAYSIAN SEA TURTLES A bibliography on Malaysian sea turtles comprising 80 citations has been compiled by the Sea Turtle Research and Conservation Project conducted by the Fisheries and Marine Science Centre, Universiti Pertanian Malaysia under the sponsorship of ESSO Production Malaysia Inc. Plans are underway to expand the bibliography to cover the Indo-Pacific Region. Persons are requested to assist in this compilation by sending any relevant publications that they have. All contributions will be acknowledged. Requests for the Malaysian bibliography and contribution of publications pertaining to turtles in the IndoPacific Region can be addressed to: E. H. CHANG, Fisheries and Marine Science Centre, Universiti Pertanian Malaysia, Mengabang Telipot, 21030 Kuala Terengganu, MALAYSIA.

RECENT PAPERS BJORNDAL, K. A. and BOLTEN, A. B. 1988. GROWTH RATES OF IMMATURE GREEN TURTLES, CHELONIA MYDAS, ON FEEDING GROUNDS IN THE SOUTHERN BAHAMAS, ATLANTIC OCEAN. COPEIA 1988:555-564. BONHOMME, F., SALVIDIO, S., LEBEAU, A. and PASTEUR, G. 1987. GENETIC COMPARISON OF GREEN TURTLES, CHELONIA MYDAS, FROM THE ATLANTIC INDIAN AND PACIFIC OCEANS: AN APPARENT ILLUSTRATION OF THE CLASSIC MULLERIAN THEORY OF POPULATION GENETIC STRUCTURE. GENETICA (THE HAGUE) 74(2):89-94. 11

BRANCH, W. R. and HANEKOM, N. 1987. THE HERPETOFAUNA OF THE TSITSIKAMMA COASTAL AND FOREST NATIONAL PARKS, SOUTH AFRICA. KOEDOE. 30:49-60. BUITRAGO, B. J. 1988. OBSERVATIONS ON THE NESTING OF MARINE TURTLES AT LOS ROQUES, VENEZUELA, AND AN EVALUATION OF MEANS FOR THEIR PROTECTION. AN. INST. INVEST. MAR. PUNTA BETIN. 17:137-154. BUTLER, R. W., NELSON, W. A. and HENWOOD, T. A. 1987. A TRAWL SURVEY METHOD FOR ESTIMATING LOGGERHEAD TURTLE, CARETTA CARETTA, ABUNDANCE IN FIVE EASTERN FLORIDA USA CHANNELS AND INLETS. U.S. NAT'L MAR. FISH. SERV. FISH. BULL. 85(3): 447-454. CARR, A. 1987. IMPACT OF NONDEGRADABLE MARINE DEBRIS ON THE ECOLOGY AND SURVIVAL OUTLOOK OF SEA TURTLES. MAR. POLLUT. BULL. 18 (6 PART B):352-356. CHAKRABARTI, S., SEN, P. C. and SINHA, N. K. 1988. PURIFICATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF A LOW MOLECULAR WEIGHT BASIC PROTEIN FROM MARINE TURTLE EGG WHITE. ARCH. BIOCHEM. BIOPHYS. 262(l):286-292. CHAN, E. H., LIEW, H. C. and MAZLAN, A. G. 1988. THE INCIDENTAL CAPTURE OF THE SEA TURTLES IN FISHING GEAR IN TERENGGANU, MALAYSIA. BIOL. CONSERV. 43(l):1-8. COMUZZIE, C. D. and OWENS, D. W. 1987. SEXUAL SELECTION IN GREEN SEA TURTLES, CHELONIA MYDAS. AM. ZOOL. 27(4):21A. CONLEY, W. J. and HOFFMAN, B. A. 1987. NESTING ACTIVITY OF SEA TURTLES IN FLORIDA (USA) 1979-1985. FLA. SCI. 50(4):201-210. CROUSE, D. T., CROWDER, L. B. and CASWELL, H. 1987. A STAGE-BASED POPULATION MODEL FOR LOGGERHEAD SEA TURTLES AND IMPLICATIONS FOR CONSERVATION. ECOLOGY 68(5):1412-1423. CRUZ, G. A., ESPINAL, M. and ELENDEZ, 0. 1987. FIRST NESTING RECORD OF THE MARINE TURTLE CHELONIA AGASSIZI AT PUNTA RATON, HONDURAS. REV. BIOL. TROP. 35(2): 341-344. DELAUGERRE, M. 1987 (1988). STATUT DES TORTUES MARINES DE LA CORSE (ET DE LA MEDITERRANEE). VIE MILIEU 37(3/4):243-264. DUGUY, R. 1987. OBSERVATIONS OF MARINE TURTLES ON THE COASTS OF FRANCE IN 1986. ANN. SOC. SCI. NAT. CHARENTE-MARIT. 7(5): 641-642. ECKERT, K. L. and ECKERT, S. A. 1987. GROWTH RATE AND REPRODUCTIVE CONDITION OF THE BARNACLE CONCHODERMA VIRGATUM ON GRAVID LEATHERBACK SEA TURTLES IN CARIBBEAN WATERS. J. CRUSTACEAN BIOL. 7 (4): 682-690. 12

ECKERT, K. L. and ECKERT, S. A. 1988. PRE-REPRODUCTIVE MOVEMENTS OF LEATHERBACK SEA TURTLES, DERMOCHELYS CORIACEA, NESTING IN THE CARIBBEAN. COPEIA 1988:400-406. GATZ, R. N., GLASS, M. L. and WOOD, S. C. 1987. PULMONARY FUNCTION OF THE GREEN SEA TURTLE, CHELONIA MYDAS. J. APPL. PHYSIOL. 62(2):459-63. GRAMENTZ, D. 1988. INVOLVEMENT OF LOGGERHEAD TURTLE WITH THE PLASTIC, METAL, AND HYDROCARBON POLLUTION IN THE CENTRAL MEDITERRANEAN. MAR. POLLUT. BULL. 19(l):11-13. HAMEL-JOENSSON, D., VIEIRA, G. H. F., LISBOA, B. P. andBREUER, H. 1987. OCCURRENCE OF HYDROXYSTEROID OXIDOREDUCTASES IN LIVER OF TURTLES. COMP. BIOCHEM. PHYSIOL. B, COMP. BIOCHEM. 88(3):977-982. HENWOOD, T. A. and OGREN, L. H. 1987. DISTRIBUTION AND MIGRATIONS OF IMMATURE KEMPIS RIDLEY TURTLES, LEPIDOCHELYS KEMPI, AND GREEN TURTLES,CHELONIA MYDAS, OFF FLORIDA, GEORGIA AND SOUTH CAROLINA (USA). NORTHEAST GULF SCI. 9(2):153-159. HENWOOD, T. A. and STUNTZ, W. E. 1987. ANALYSIS OF SEA TURTLE CAPTURES AND MORTALITIES DURING COMMERCIAL SHRIMP TRAWLING. U.S. NAT’L MAR. FISH. SERV. FISH. BULL. 85 (4):813-817. HIRTH, H. F. 1987. POLLUTION ON THE MARINE TURTLE NESTING BEACH IN TORTUGUERO NATIONAL PARK, COSTA RICA. ENVIRON. CONSERV. 14(l):74-75. KEINATH, J. A., MUSICK, J. A., and BYLES, R. A. 1987. ASPECTS OF THE BIOLOGY OF VIRGINIA'S (USA) SEA TURTLES 1979-1986.VA. J. SCI. 38(4):329-336. LAIST, D. W. 1987. OVERVIEW OF THE BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF LOST AND DISCARDED PLASTIC DEBRIS IN THE MARINE ENVIRONMENT. MAR. POLLUT. BULL. 18 (6 PART B):319-326. LE BOURDIEC, P. 1987. MARINE AQUACULTURE ON REUNION, INDIAN OCEAN. REV. INT. OCEANOGR. MED. 85-86:241-244. LE GALL, J. Y. and HUGHES, G. R. 1987. MIGRATIONS OF THE GREEN TURTLE, CHELONIA MYDAS, IN THE SOUTHWEST INDIAN OCEAN OBSERVED FROM TAGGINGS ON THE EGG LAYING SITES ON THE EUROPA AND TROMELIN ATOLLS, 1970-1985. AMPHIBIA-REPTILIA 8(3): 277-282. LUEPSCHEN, L. K. and EHRHART, L. M. 1987. SEASONAL VARIATION IN SERUM TESTOSTERONE OF IMMATURE SEA TURTLES IN CENTRAL FLORIDA USA. AM. ZOOL. 27(4): 71A. LUTCAVAGE, M. E., LUTZ, P. L. and BAIER, H. 1987. GAS EXCHANGE IN THE LOGGERHEAD SEA TURTLE, CARETTA CARETTA. J. EXP. BIOL. 131:365-372. 13

MARGARITOULIS, D. 1987. THE OCCURRENCE OF THE LEATHERBACK SEA TURTLE, DERMOCHELYS CORIACEA(L.), IN GREECE. BIOLOGIA GALLOHELLENICA 12:247-2-48. MARSHALL, A. T. and COOPER, P. D. 1988. SECRETORY CAPACITY OF THE LACHRYMAL SALT GLAND OF HATCHLING SEA TURTLES, CHELONIA MYDAS. J. COMP. PHYSIOL. B, BIOCHEM. SYST. ENVIRON. PHYSIOL. 157(6):821-828. MEDRANO, L., DORIZZI, M., RIMBLOT, F. and PIEAU, C. 1987. KARYOTYPE OF THE SEA TURTLE DERMOCHELYS CORIACEA (VANDELLI 1761). AMPHIBIA-REPTILIA 8(2): 171-178. MEYLAN, A. 1988. SPONGIVORY IN HAWKSBILL TURTLES: A DIET OF GLASS. SCIENCE 239(4838):393-395. MROSOVSKY, N. 1988. PIVOTAL TEMPERATURES FOR LOGGERHEAD TURTLES, CARETTA CARETTA, FROM NORTHERN AND SOUTHERN NESTING BEACHES. CAN. J. ZOOL. 66(3):661-669. NESOV, L. A. 1987. SEA TURTLES FROM THE PALEOGENE OF THE SOUTHERN KAZAKH SSR USSR AND PHYLOGENETIC RELATIONSHIPS OF TOXOCHELYIDAE AND CHELONIIDAE. PALEONTOL. ZH. 4:76-87. NICOLAUS, L. K. and NELLIS, D. W. 1987. THE FIRST EVALUATION OF THE USE OF CONDITIONED TASTE AVERSION TO CONTROL PREDATION BY MONGOOSES UPON EGGS. APPL. ANIM. BEHAV. SCI. 17(3-4):329-346. OSADA, T., SASAKI, T. and IKAI, A. 1988. PURIFICATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF ALPHA MACROGLOBULIN AND OVOMACROGLOBULIN OF THE GREEN TURTLE, CHELONIA MYDAS JAPONICA. J. BIOCHEM. (TOKYO) 103(2):212-217. PAULRAJ, S., NAIDU, S. S. and PAKKIARAJ, J. 1987. REARING THE OLIVE RIDLEY, LEPIDOCHELYS OLIVACEA, IN ARTIFICIAL SEA WATER. OLNEY, P. J. S. (ED.). 1986 INTERNATIONAL ZOO YEARBOOK, VOL. 26. XII+582P. ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON: LONDON, ENGLAND, UK. pp.90-94. ROSTAL, D. C., OWENS, D. W., WOOD, F. E. and AMOSS, M. S. 1987. SEASONAL CHANGES IN REPRODUCTIVE BEHAVIOR AND TESTOSTERONE OF KEMPIS RIDLEY SEA TURTLES, LEPIDOCHELYS KEMPI. AM. ZOOL. 27(4):16A. ROTHSCHILD, B. M. 1987. DECOMPRESSION SYNDROME IN FOSSIL MARINE TURTLES. ANN. CARNEGIE MUS. 56(15-19):253-258. SALMON, M. and WYNEKEN, J. 1987. ORIENTATION AND SWIMMING BEHAVIOR OF HATCHLING LOGGERHEAD TURTLES,CARETTA CARETTA (L.), DURING THEIR OFFSHORE MIGRATION. J. EXP. MAR. BIOL. ECOL. 109(2): 137-154. WALDICHUK, M. 1987. SEA TURTLES: ENDANGERED SPECIES. MAR. POLLUT. BULL. 18(12):623-627. 14

WEEMS, R. E. 1988. PALEOCENE TURTLES FROM THE AQUIA AND BRIGHTSEAT FORMATIONS (MARYLAND, VIRGINIA, USA) WITH A DISCUSSION OF THEIR BEARING ON SEA TURTLE EVOLUTION AND PHYLOGENY. PROC. BIOL. SOC. WASH. 101(l):109-145. WIBBELS, T., OWENS, D. W., LIMPUS, C. J., LICHT, P., PENAFLORES, C. and AMOSS, M. S. 1987. GONADAL STEROID DYNAMICS IN FEMALE SEA TURTLES. AM. ZOOL. 27(4):4A. WIBBELS, T., OWENS, D. W., LIMPUS, C. J., MARTIN, R. E. and AMOSS, M. S. 1987. A SEA TURTLE SEX RATIO. AM. ZOOL. 27M:21A. WILES, M. and RAND, T. G. 1987. INTEGUMENTAL ULCERATIVE DISEASE IN A LOGGERHEAD TURTLE, CARETTA CARETTA, AT THE BERMUDA AQUARIUM: MICROBIOLOGY AND HISTOPATHOLOGY. DIS. AQUAT. ORG. 3(2):85-90. WINOKUR, R. M. 1988. THE BUCCOPHARYNGEAL MUCOSA OF THE TURTLES TESTUDINES. J. MORPHOL. 196(l):33-52. WITZELL, W. N. 1987. SELECTIVE PREDATION ON LARGE CHELONIID SEA TURTLES BY TIGER SHARKS, GALEOCERDO CUVIER. JPN. J. HERPETOL. 12(l):22-29. WOLFE, D. A. 1987. PERSISTENT PLASTICS AND DEBRIS IN THE OCEAN: AN INTERNATIONAL PROBLEM OF OCEAN DISPOSAL. MAR. POLLUT. BULL. 18 (6 PART B):303-305. WYNEKEN, J. and LABARBERA, M. 1987. LOCOMOTOR STRATEGIES OF HATCHLING SEA TURTLES. AM. ZOOL. 27(4):63A. WYNEKEN, J., BURKE, T. J., SALMON, M. and PEDERSEN, D. K. 1988. EGG FAILURE IN NATURAL AND RELOCATED SEA TURTLE NESTS. J. HERPETOL. 22(l):88-96. VAN VLEET, E. S. and PAULY, G. G. 1987. CHARACTERIZATION OF OIL RESIDUES SCRAPED FROM STRANDED SEA TURTLES FROM THE GULF OF MEXICO. CARIB. J. SCI. 23(l):77-84.

TECHNICAL REPORTS BELLMUND, S.A., J.A. MUSICK, R.C. KLINGER, R.A. BYLES, J.A. KEINATH and D.E. BARNARD. 1987. Ecology of Sea Turtles in Virginia. Special Scientific Report No. 119. Available from: Virginia Institute of marine Science, School of Marine Science, College of William and Mary, Gloucester Point, Virginia 23062 USA. DODD, C.K. 1987. A Bibliography of the Loggerhead Sea Turtle Caretta Caretta (Linnaeus), 1758. USFWS Endangered Species Report No. 16. Available from: KEN DODD, U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Denver Wildlife Research, 412 N.E. 16th Ave., Room 250, Gainesville, Florida 32601 USA. 15

HILDEBRAND, H. 1987. A Reconnaissance of Beaches and Coastal Waters from the Border of Belize to the Mississippi River as Habitats for Marine Turtles. Report prepared for NOAA/NMFS/ SEFC Panama City Laboratory. Available from: RICHARD BYLES, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, P.O. Box 1306, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87103 USA. JAVIER, A. and A. FIGUEROA. 1987. The Ecological Recovery of Sea Turtles of Michoacan, Mexico. Special attention: The black turtle (Chelonia agassizi). Annual report to USFWS and WWFUS. 46pp+tigs. Available from: JACK WOODY, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, P.O. Box 1306, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87103 USA. Simposio sobre Tortugas Marinas del Pacifico Americano. Copies are available by sending US$10 (checks only) to: DOUGLAS ROBINSON, Escuela de Biologia, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, COSTA RICA.

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WORLD PREMIER

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On 1 January 1989 (9:00 PM EST), the National Geographic Explorer Station will broadcast an Omni Film Production entitled, "Farewell Ancient Mariner" (Executive Producer: Bruce Jaildagian, Greenpeace International). The 26 minute presentation explores the plight of the sea turtle and brings to light some of the programs that are improving the odds for their survival. A color video is available upon request to: BRUCE JAILDAGIAN, Greenpeace International, P.O. Box 384, New Smyrna Beach, Florida 32070 USA.

CORRECTIONS In Report on 6th CITES Meeting, Ottawa, July 1987 [Mrosovsky, MTN 41:3], please note that the second sentence of the fourth paragraph should read as follows: "Because of complex understandings within the European Economic Community (EEC), no members of the EEC may cast a vote individually; consequently, France was unable to vote for its own proposal!" In Marine Turtles in Baluchistan (Pakistan) [Groombridge et al., MTN 42:1-3], please note that the third sentence of the fourth paragraph should read as follows: "Some nest pits appeared to be many weeks old, many tracks appeared to be more recent, and a minority were fresh." The editors regret these errors. _________________________________________________________________ Partial funding for MTN 43 was provided by the U.S.Fish and Wildlife Service. The opinions expressed herein are those of the individual authors and are not necessarily shared by the Editors, the Editorial Board, The University of Georgia, or any individuals or organizations providing financial support .

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