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Dear Edna,
We (Griffin, Murphy, Frick and Williams) have a paper under review now for
our satellite tracking data that makes this very point, not just for
Delaware Bay, but also for the whole Mid Atlantic Bight region. Hopefully it
will be out soon.
Sally

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Sally R. Murphy
PO Box 136
Sheldon, SC 29941
Phone: 843-846-6929
Email: <a href="/cgi-bin/wa?LOGON=A3%3Dind0611%26L%3DCTURTLE%26E%3D7bit%26P%3D422276%26B%3D------%253D_NextPart_000_0004_01C707CB.3A950A30%26T%3Dtext%252Fplain%3B%2520charset%3Dus-ascii" >[log in to unmask]</a>
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-----Original Message-----
From: Sea Turtle Biology and Conservation [mailto:<a href="/cgi-bin/wa?LOGON=A3%3Dind0611%26L%3DCTURTLE%26E%3D7bit%26P%3D422276%26B%3D------%253D_NextPart_000_0004_01C707CB.3A950A30%26T%3Dtext%252Fplain%3B%2520charset%3Dus-ascii" >[log in to unmask]</a>]On
Behalf Of Stetzar Edna (DNREC)
Sent: Monday, November 13, 2006 12:52 PM
To: <a href="/cgi-bin/wa?LOGON=A3%3Dind0611%26L%3DCTURTLE%26E%3D7bit%26P%3D422276%26B%3D------%253D_NextPart_000_0004_01C707CB.3A950A30%26T%3Dtext%252Fplain%3B%2520charset%3Dus-ascii" >[log in to unmask]</a>
Subject: Re: Florida loggerhead nesting in decline.

Mike and all,

I wonder why the Delaware Bay region is not considered a part of the area of
concern? Although major die-offs have not been noticed, you can predict that
year after year loggerheads will dead strand on its shores. Although not
much research or management efforts have been directed to this area,
evidence (from aerial surveys, incidental & targeted capture, strandings,
sighting surveys) does suggest that the Delaware Bay supports a considerable
number (estimated to be in the 1,000's) of loggerheads (subadult and large
immature make up the largest percentage of strandings). They occur
approximately June through October and the Bay is no doubt an attractive
foraging area as it supports a large percentage of the Atlantic coast
horseshoe crab population (as well as other benthic food sources). Mature
reproductive adults also utilize the estuary as evidenced by satellite
tagging and strandings.

Sea turtles face numerous threats in Delaware Bay from crab pot and conch
pot fisheries, gill-net fisheries, dredging, recreational hook & line,
vessel strikes, etc.. however, there are minimal protective or conservation
efforts in place right now. Possibly because the Bay is not recognized as
important. This lack of recognition could be due in part to a lack of data
(although there is some data as mentioned above). Strandings are
investigated, but most of the turtles are already dead, so this is not very
'proactive'. Obviously more research is needed to determine population
characteristics, but meanwhile Delaware Bay falls through the cracks and
turtles continue to die.

Any thoughts?

Sincerely,
Edna J. Stetzar
Delaware Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program
Division of Fish and Wildlife
Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control
4876 Hay Point Landing
Smyrna, DE 19977
(302) 653-2883
  _____

From: Sea Turtle Biology and Conservation [mailto:<a href="/cgi-bin/wa?LOGON=A3%3Dind0611%26L%3DCTURTLE%26E%3D7bit%26P%3D422276%26B%3D------%253D_NextPart_000_0004_01C707CB.3A950A30%26T%3Dtext%252Fplain%3B%2520charset%3Dus-ascii" >[log in to unmask]</a>] On
Behalf Of Michael Frick
Sent: Monday, November 13, 2006 12:26 AM
To: <a href="/cgi-bin/wa?LOGON=A3%3Dind0611%26L%3DCTURTLE%26E%3D7bit%26P%3D422276%26B%3D------%253D_NextPart_000_0004_01C707CB.3A950A30%26T%3Dtext%252Fplain%3B%2520charset%3Dus-ascii" >[log in to unmask]</a>
Subject: Re: Florida loggerhead nesting in decline.

Those interested,

News from Florida is not good this year. First, I think it seems common
sensical to cast a steely glance at all the 'mid-Atlantic US' deaths of
subadult and large immature loggerheads off the Carolina - Chesapeake Bay
region several springs ago and the subadult die-offs off Miami, etc...C'mon
man! It is apparent that more in-water protection is vital for neretic-stage
turtles off the U.S., but what has been at the front of some state and the
Fed agendas since 1998: "What consequences are current management practices
having on turtles at the nesting beach? (i.e. are we adversely affecting
hatchlings by relocating nests or messing with their navagational
capabilities by using metal sceening?). It's time for the conservation
police to act and act now. A great beginning would be a complete, finished
Loggerhead Recovery Plan (circa now) to present to Congress. Reputations,
conference presentations and personal publications can wait while such
necessary info is compiled for the sake of the turtles, particularly before
spring migrations through the treacherous Carolina waters.

Mike Frick


-----Original Message-----
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Sent: Fri, 10 Nov 2006 9:02 AM
Subject: Florida loggerhead nesting in decline.
CCC sent out the following press release yesterday to state and national
media.  We thought the content would be of interest to the list.  The press
release also briefly notes the serious cut in federal funding for the Archie
Carr National Wildlife Refuge.  We will post information on our website next
week on how people can help support the effort to restore funding to the
Archie Carr Refuge.

Gary


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Contact: Caribbean Conservation Corporation
4424 NW 13th Street, Suite A-1
Gainesville, FL, USA 32609
(352) 373-6441
www.cccturtle.org

November 10, 2006

David Godfrey or Gary Appelson
Caribbean Conservation Corporation

352-373-6441 or <a href="/cgi-bin/wa?LOGON=A3%3Dind0611%26L%3DCTURTLE%26E%3D7bit%26P%3D422276%26B%3D------%253D_NextPart_000_0004_01C707CB.3A950A30%26T%3Dtext%252Fplain%3B%2520charset%3Dus-ascii" >[log in to unmask]</a>
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For Immediate Release


Loggerhead Sea Turtle Nesting in Steep Decline

GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA-Scientists with Florida's Fish and Wildlife
Conservation Commission (FWCC) today released a research report concluding
that the United States' largest remaining loggerhead sea turtle rookery is
in steep decline. In the report, which was posted on FWCC's website (
http://research.myfwc.com/features/view_article.asp?id=27537), scientists
analyzed 17 years of sea turtle nesting data and found that since 1989 nest
counts have declined 22% throughout Florida. Since 1998, in just seven
years, nesting at Florida's most important nesting beaches all over the
state have declined 40%. Florida accounts for 90% of the loggerhead nesting
in the U.S., with one nesting aggregation on the beaches of the Archie Carr
National Wildlife Refuge on the Atlantic coast considered to be one of the
two largest remaining in the world.

David Godfey, Executive Director of the Florida-based Caribbean Conservation
Corporation, the world's oldest sea turtle conservation group, stated, "We
have known loggerheads were declining, but this thorough analysis of data
dating back nearly two decades paints a far grimmer picture of the status of
loggerhead nesting in Florida and the U.S.  The results are alarming, and it
is urgent that state and federal agencies strengthen conservation efforts to
address the root causes of this decline. Sea turtles are ambassadors of the
sea".

The FWCC report does not point to any conclusive cause of the decline, but
points a finger at the many threats facing loggerheads at sea and when they
return to Florida beaches to nest. The report states that recent hurricanes
are not the cause of the decline. Loggerheads that hatch on Florida beaches
take 20-30 years to reach maturity, so recent storm impacts would not be
seen in the nesting population for decades.  The report suggests that
threats occurring far from the states waters and beaches, in the open
Atlantic Ocean, may be the major cause of the decline. These threats include
drowning in fishing trawls and incidental capture by the long lining
commercial fishing industry. Sea turtles in Florida face many other threats
according to the report, including the challenges faced by a booming coastal
human population and coastal development.

Juvenile sea turtles travel and forage throughout the Atlantic Ocean after
they leave Florida's beaches. The FWCC report notes that both the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service (USFWS) have management oversight in the marine environment beyond
Florida's beaches.

According to Godfrey, the long line fishing industry, which sets millions of
hooks on the open seas, has long been a suspect in the loggerhead decline.
CCC concludes that the cumulative effects of numerous U.S. Fisheries already
permitted to kill thousands of sea turtles incidentally each year are a
major source of these declines. The actual number of loggerheads killed
annually by U.S. and foreign boats in the Atlantic is taking an enormous
toll on the American loggerhead, a species touted as an Endangered Species
success story until only a few years ago.

This report comes on the heels of a recent press release from the USFWS
announcing  70% staffing cutbacks at the Archie Carr National Wildlife
Refuge, including all the scientific and public outreach staff. The refuge
was established to protect the most heavily nested loggerhead turtle nesting
beaches in the Western Hemisphere.

According to Godfrey, the federal government appears to be abandoning
support for the Carr Refuge at just the time when sea turtles are in
desperate need of increased protection. Much more must be done to safeguard
healthy sea turtle nesting beaches. "These turtles are being hammered in the
Atlantic fisheries. While addressing this serious threat, we must also make
sure reproductive turtles find good nesting beaches when they return home.
Unfortunately, in many areas of Florida sea turtles will return to find
miles of sea walls and new beachfront development."

Florida's globally important turtle nesting beaches face the triple threat
of natural erosion, hurricanes and sea level rise. At the same time, the
fragile coastline is under intense development pressure, and sea turtles are
caught in the middle. With loggerhead numbers now in steep decline, it
becomes even more important that the new Congress and elected leaders in
Florida take steps to increase protections for sea turtles and their nesting
beaches.

###








Gary Appelson
Caribbean Conservation Corporation
and Sea Turtle Survival League
4424 NW 13th St.,  Suite 1-A
Gainesville, Fl. 32609
352-373-6441

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