the adult female loggerheads off Georgia that forage on the 

 isolated hard bottom areas during the internesting interval 

 (Stoneburner 1982), (2) the subadult Kemp's ridleys and 

 loggerheads that return annually to forage in the Chesapeake Bay 

 (Lutcavage and Musick 1985), (3) the juvenile green turtles and 

 loggerheads inhabiting Mosquito Lagoon, Florida (Mendonca and 

 Ehrhart 1982) . 



Contaminants 



The eggs of green and loggerhead turtles have been shown to 

 accumulate potentially dangerous contaminants, particularly 

 pesticides, petroleum, heavy metals, and PCBs (Coston-Clements 

 and Hoss 1983; Nelson 1986). Unfortunately, the minimum 

 tolerance levels before embryonic damage occurs are unknown, and 

 controlled laboratory and field experiments are necessary to 

 determine these levels for all turtle species. Analysis of egg 

 samples from all major turtle rookeries are needed to establish 

 base-line levels of contamination. 



Research Recommendations 



I. Determine distribution and abundance of sea turtles and 

 identify critical habitats (benthic & pelagic) utilized by 

 each turtle species: 



A. Exact locations 



B. Exact times 



II. Determine mortality rates caused by floating pelagic 

 pollution, particularly: 



A. Crude oil 



B. Plastics 



III. Determine effects of benthic (seagrass & hard bottom) 

 degradation/destruction on sea turtles by: 



A. Crude oil 



B. Fishing activities (commercial & recreational) 



C. Dredging 



D. Runoff (industrial & agricultural) 



E. Sewage 



IV. Determine long-term effects on hatchling success due to 

 petroleum and chemical pollutants in habitat, particularly: 



249 



