Management Research Needs 



An Overviev (Frederick H. Berry) 



Much more research and data are needed if we are to begin to 

 effectively manage and protect sea turtle populations. Problems 

 exist with obtaining adequate personnel and funding to conduct, 

 compile, and convey this research. Obviously, research needs 

 should be prioritized, existing research plans should be 

 publicized, and research results should be compiled and 

 distributed expeditiously. 



One of the best examples of prior lack of research planning 

 relates to research done on sea turtle life history. While the 

 average sea turtle spends perhaps one one-millionth of its life 

 on land, only about one one-thousandth of the past research 

 conducted has been done on sea turtles in the water. 



The Executive Committee of WATS II presented the research 

 emphasis for data collection in two important areas: 



1) Continue monitoring sea turtle nesting on the 

 major nesting beaches for Chelonia my das (Costa 

 Rica) , Lepidochelys kempi (Mexico) , Lepidochelys 

 olivacea (Surinam) , Dermochelys coriacea (French 

 Guiana and Costa Rica) , Caretta caretta (Florida) , 

 and for Eretmochelys imbricata in its more 

 dispersed nesting everywhere it occurs. 



2) Documentation of sea turtle mortality, especially 

 exploitation of subadults, adults, and eggs and 

 destruction of nests by any factors. 



The Program Planning Committee of WATS II requested the 

 presentation of speeches in six areas of sea turtle management 

 needs: 



1) Surveys on the beaches 



2) Surveys in the water 



3) Beach Habitat 



4) Marine Habitat 



5) Natural Mortality 



6) Population Biology 



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