STATUS OF RECOVERY PROGRAM 

 HAWKSBILL TURTLES - ATLANTIC POPULATION 



Plan Stage: Final Plan Approved Date: 11/24/93 

 SPECIES COVERED 



HAWKSBILL TURTLE (ATLANTIC) ~ . 



RECOVERY PLAN STATUS 



NMFS approved and distributed a final recovery plan for hawksbill sea turtles in the Atlantic 

 Ocean in 1993. 



RECOVERY ACTIONS 



The major points outlined in the recovery plan are: 



1. Identify important nesting beaches; 



2. Ensure long-term protection of important nesting beaches; 



3. Ensure long-term protection of marine habitat; 



4. Prevent degradation or destruction of marine habitats from upland erosion and siltation; 



5. Prevent degradation of reef habitat from oil. sewage, and other pollutants; 



6. Monitor trends in nesting activity; 



7. Evaluate nest success and implement nest protection measures; 



8. Ensure that law enforcement activities prevent poaching on nesting beaches; 



9. Determine nesting beach origins for juvenile and adult populations; 



10. Quantify threats to adults and juveniles on foraging grounds; and 



1 1 . Increase law enforcement to reduce poaching in U.S. waters. 



NMFS is examining the status of hawksbills in Cuban waters in response to a proposal to 

 downlist hawksbills from CITES Appendix I to Appendix 11. 



In the Caribbean. NMFS is involved with protecting nesting beaches, conducting surveys on 

 primar>' hawksbill nesting areas, and conducting genetic research. NMFS has also made a major 

 effort to reduce hawksbill turtle mortality in shrimp fisheries by improving regulations that 

 require the use of turtle excluder devices (TEDs). 



Analyses of sea turtle strandings have been conducted to monitor the level of strandings and 

 possible causes of mortality. 



