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Morning all,

My dissertation also supports this point and provides some population information related to *possible* declines in sub-adult loggerheads using the Chesapeake Bay as developmental habitat. It also details turtle movements and behavior in this area. 

Mansfield, K. L. 2006. Sources of mortality, movements and behavior of sea turtles in Virginia. Dissertation. College of William and Mary, Virginia Institute of Marine Science, Gloucester Point, Virginia. 343 pp.

http://www.vims.edu/library/Theses/Mansfield06.pdf

Related pubs are in prep, soon to be in review...

Cheers,
Kate



---- Original message ----
>Date: Tue, 14 Nov 2006 08:59:44 -0500
>From: Sally Murphy <<a href="/cgi-bin/wa?LOGON=A3%3Dind0611%26L%3DCTURTLE%26E%3D7bit%26P%3D563831%26B%3D--%26T%3Dtext%252Fplain%3B%2520charset%3Dus-ascii" >[log in to unmask]</a>>  
>Subject: Re: Florida loggerhead nesting in decline.  
>To: <a href="/cgi-bin/wa?LOGON=A3%3Dind0611%26L%3DCTURTLE%26E%3D7bit%26P%3D563831%26B%3D--%26T%3Dtext%252Fplain%3B%2520charset%3Dus-ascii" >[log in to unmask]</a>
>
>   Link: File-List
>   Link: Edit-Time-Data
>
>   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
>
>    
>
>   *************************
>
>   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%3D563831%26B%3D--%26T%3Dtext%252Fplain%3B%2520charset%3Dus-ascii" >[log in to unmask]</a>
>
>   *************************
>
>    
>
>   -----Original Message-----
>   From: Sea Turtle Biology and Conservation
>   [mailto:<a href="/cgi-bin/wa?LOGON=A3%3Dind0611%26L%3DCTURTLE%26E%3D7bit%26P%3D563831%26B%3D--%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%3D563831%26B%3D--%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%3D563831%26B%3D--%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%3D563831%26B%3D--%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-----
>   From: <a href="/cgi-bin/wa?LOGON=A3%3Dind0611%26L%3DCTURTLE%26E%3D7bit%26P%3D563831%26B%3D--%26T%3Dtext%252Fplain%3B%2520charset%3Dus-ascii" >[log in to unmask]</a>
>   To: <a href="/cgi-bin/wa?LOGON=A3%3Dind0611%26L%3DCTURTLE%26E%3D7bit%26P%3D563831%26B%3D--%26T%3Dtext%252Fplain%3B%2520charset%3Dus-ascii" >[log in to unmask]</a>
>   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
>
>    
>
>    
>
>   **********************************************************************************************
>
>    
>
>    
>
>   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%3D563831%26B%3D--%26T%3Dtext%252Fplain%3B%2520charset%3Dus-ascii" >[log in to unmask]</a>                      
>                        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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>   <><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
Kate L. Mansfield, Ph.D.
Fisheries Science Department
Virginia Institute of Marine Science
PO Box 1346
Gloucester Point, Virginia 23062  USA
Phone: 804-684-7313
Fax: 804-684-7327

Fedex or UPS:  Rte. 1208 Greate Road 

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