Insights on leatherback turtle movements and high use areas in the Southwest Atlantic Ocean

López‐Mendilaharsu, Milagros; Rocha, Carlos Frederico Duarte; Miller, Philip; Domingo, Andrés; Prosdocimi, Laura

doi:10.1016/j.jembe.2009.07.010

Cited by 48 publications

(60 citation statements)

References 37 publications

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“…Studies on the diving behaviour of these three species have shown that they spend most of their time in the top 100 m of the water column (leatherback 93%; loggerhead 40%; and green [80%- Hays et al 2001;Polovina et al 2003;James et al 2005James et al , 2006López-Mendilaharsu et al 2009). Turtles occupy the entire vertical profile of the net, suggesting that they are vulnerable to captures throughout the net profile.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Driftnet fishery threats sea turtles in the Atlantic Ocean

et al. 2012

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Fisheries are recognised as a major threat to sea turtles worldwide. Oceanic driftnets are considered the main cause of the steep decline in Pacific Ocean populations of the leatherback sea turtle Dermochelys coriacea. The world's largest leatherback population nests in West Africa and migrates across the Atlantic Ocean to feed off the South American coast. There, the turtles encounter a range of fisheries, including the Brazilian driftnet fishery targeting hammerhead sharks. From 2002 to 2008, 351 sea turtles were F. N. Fiedler (&) Fundação Pró-TAMAR,incidentally caught in 41 fishing trips and 371 sets. Leatherbacks accounted for 77.3% of the take (n = 252 turtles, capture rate = 0.1405 turtles/km of net), followed by loggerheads Caretta caretta (47 individuals, capture rate = 0.0262 turtles/km of net), green turtles Chelonia mydas (27 individuals, capture rate = 0.0151 turtles/km of net) and unidentified hard-shelled turtles (25 individual, capture rate = 0.0139 turtles/km of net) that fell off the net during hauling. Immediate mortality (i.e., turtles that were dead upon reaching the vessel, excluding post-release mortality) was similar among the species and accounted for 22.2 to 29.4% of turtles hauled onboard. The annual catch by this fishery ranged from 1,212 to 6,160 leatherback turtles, as estimated based on bootstrap procedures under different fishing effort scenarios in the 1990s. The present inertia in law and enforcement regarding gillnet regulations in Brazil could result in the reestablishment of the driftnet fishery, driving rates of leatherback mortality to levels similar to those observed in previous decades. This development could potentially lead to the collapse of the South Atlantic leatherback population, mirroring the decline of the species in the Pacific. In light of these potential impacts and similar threats to other pelagic mega fauna, we recommend banning this type of fishery in the region.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Driftnet fishery threats sea turtles in the Atlantic Ocean

et al. 2012

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“…Leatherback turtle movements in South Atlantic coastal habitats during the breeding season have been reported [27,28]. With the exception of a few flipper tag returns from South America [29] and the satellite tracking of four individuals from the Rio de la Plata Estuary (Uruguay, South America) [30] demonstrating seasonal movements along the South American coastline, there is no comprehensive knowledge of their at-sea distribution.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Tracking leatherback turtles from the world's largest rookery: assessing threats across the South Atlantic

et al. 2011

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Despite extensive work carried out on leatherback turtles (Dermochelys coriacea) in the North Atlantic and Indo-Pacific, very little is known of the at-sea distribution of this species in the South Atlantic, where the world's largest population nests in Gabon (central Africa). This paucity of data is of marked concern given the pace of industrialization in fisheries with demonstrable marine turtle bycatch in African/Latin American waters. We tracked the movements of 25 adult female leatherback turtles obtaining a range of fundamental and applied insights, including indications for methodological advancement. Individuals could be assigned to one of three dispersal strategies, moving to (i) habitats of the equatorial Atlantic, (ii) temperate habitats off South America or (iii) temperate habitats off southern Africa. While occupying regions with high surface chlorophyll concentrations, these strategies exposed turtles to some of the world's highest levels of longline fishing effort, in addition to areas with coastal gillnet fisheries. Satellite tracking highlighted that at least 11 nations should be involved in the conservation of this species in addition to those with distant fishing fleets. The majority of tracking days were, however, spent in the high seas, where effective implementation of conservation efforts is complex to achieve.

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“…This result suggests the western Atlantic nesting colonies (Suriname, French Guyana, and Brazil) may be a main contributors of L. olivacea along the southwestern Atlantic. Furthermore, the turtles recorded in this study were subadults and adults, and thus able to swim independently of oceanic currents and cover large distances in search of feeding areas such as the Rio de la Plata and adjacent waters, which is considered as a key foraging ground for many marine species (Brazeiro et al 2003, López-Mendilaharsu 2009, Botto et al 2011, González-Carman et al 2011. This fact and the increase in population numbers at nesting colonies in Brazil (Silva et al 2007), suggest that these new records represent a possible expansion of this population towards the southern latitudes.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 90%

“…In addition, this area is influenced by a subtropical convergence, a junction of 2 ocean currents, a warm water current from Brazil and a cold water current from Malvinas (Palma et al 2009). The convergence of water masses, along with the halocline, allows for high biological productivity in Uruguayan coastal waters (Brazeiro et al 2003, López-Mendilaharsu 2009, Botto et al 2011, González-Carman et al 2011.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

New records of Lepidochelys olivacea (Eschscholtz, 1829) (Testudines, Cheloniidae) provide evidence that Uruguayan waters are the southernmost limit of distribution for the species in the western Atlantic Ocean

González-Paredes¹,

Vélez-Rubio²,

Hahn³

et al. 2017

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We report 8 new records of Lepidochelys olivacea marine turtle in the Uruguayan waters, indicating this area as the southernmost limit of distribution for this species in the western Atlantic Ocean. In addition, 1 specimen was subjected to genetic analysis, revealing its population origin in the western Atlantic nesting colonies (Surinam, French Guiana, and Brazil). This report represents an update of the distribution of L. olivacea in the southwestern Atlantic and provides insight into the morphological and genetic characterization of the species at temperate waters.

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Insights on leatherback turtle movements and high use areas in the Southwest Atlantic Ocean

Cited by 48 publications

References 37 publications

Driftnet fishery threats sea turtles in the Atlantic Ocean

Driftnet fishery threats sea turtles in the Atlantic Ocean

Tracking leatherback turtles from the world's largest rookery: assessing threats across the South Atlantic

New records of Lepidochelys olivacea (Eschscholtz, 1829) (Testudines, Cheloniidae) provide evidence that Uruguayan waters are the southernmost limit of distribution for the species in the western Atlantic Ocean

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Insights on leatherback turtle movements and high use areas in the Southwest Atlantic Ocean

Cited by 48 publications

References 37 publications

Driftnet fishery threats sea turtles in the Atlantic Ocean

Driftnet fishery threats sea turtles in the Atlantic Ocean

Tracking leatherback turtles from the world's largest rookery: assessing threats across the South Atlantic

New records of Lepidochelys olivacea (Eschscholtz, 1829)&nbsp;(Testudines, Cheloniidae) provide evidence that Uruguayan waters&nbsp;are the southernmost limit of distribution for the species in the&nbsp;western Atlantic Ocean

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New records of Lepidochelys olivacea (Eschscholtz, 1829) (Testudines, Cheloniidae) provide evidence that Uruguayan waters are the southernmost limit of distribution for the species in the western Atlantic Ocean