MARINE TURTLE CONSERVATION VIA CMS AND OTHER INTERNATIONAL

MARINE TURTLE CONSERVATION VIA CMS AND OTHER INTERNATIONAL INSTRUMENTS. REPORT TO STRATEGIC AND PLANNING MEETING CMS SCIENTIFIC COUNCIL, FORMIA (ITALY), 9 -11 OCTOBER 2013. Dr Colin Limpus, Scientific Councillor, Marine Turtles

CMS: marine turtle conservation actions 1995: appointed Scientific Councillor, marine turtles 1999: Mo. U Atlantic Coast of Africa 2001: Mo. U Indian Ocean – South East Asia BUT THERE ARE OTHER international instruments that have been developed specifically for enhancing marine turtle conservation management, commencing 1981. IS INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION IMPROVING THE STATUS OF MARINE TURTLE POPUl. ATIONS?

MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING CONCERNING CONSERVATION MEASURES FOR MARINE TURTLES OF THE ATLANTIC COAST OF AFRICA SINCE ~2008 • NO FUNCTIONAL SECRETARIAT • NO WEBSITE • NO DELIVERY OF ACTION PLAN • INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION? ?

MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING ON THE CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT OF MARINE TURTLES AND THEIR HABITATS OF THE INDIAN OCEAN AND SOUTH-EAST ASIA • DYNAMIC SECRETARIAT • EXCELLENT WEBSITE SUPPORT • INTER-GOVERNMENT SUCCESSES • SLOW CHANGE WITHIN COUNTRIES

THE INTER AMERICAN CONVENTION FOR THE PROTECTION AND CONSERVATION OF SEA TURTLES • FUNCTIONAL SECRETARIAT • WEBSITE SUPPORT • STRONG IN-COUNTRY SUPPORT • STRONG NGO SUPPORT MANY POPULATIONS IN RECOVERY FROM PRE-2001 ACTIONS

WIDER CARIBBEAN SEA TURTLE CONSERVATION NETWORK (WIDECAST) EVERY COUNTRY HAS A LOCAL WIDECAST COUNTRY COORDINATOR AND AN IDENTIFIED PERSON/AGENCY RESPONSIBLE FOR SEA TURTLE CONSERVATION COMMENCED IN 1981 • NGO PARTNERSHIP WITH GOVERNMENTS • WITHIN UNEP CARIBBEAN ENVIRONMENT PROGRAMME • DYNAMIC SUPPORT FOR IN-COUNTRY ACTIONS MANY POPULATIONS IN RECOVERY

SOUTH PACIFIC REGIONAL ENVIRONMENT PROGRAMME (SPREP) MARINE SPECIES PROGRAMME • SECRETARIAL SUPPORT • GOOD EDUCATION & TRAINING COMPONENTS • EMPHASIS ON TAGGING & TELEMETRY • POOR SUPPORT FOR SUSTAINABLE HARVEST • LIMITED FUNDING • LOW HUMAN POPULATIONS • DEVELOPING COUNTRIES WIDE SPREAD TAKE OF TURTLE & EGG

1996: MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF PHILIPPINES AND THE GOVERNMENT OF MALAYSIA ON THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE TURTLE ISLANDS HERITAGE PROTECTED AREA • RECOVERING POPULATIONS • SABAH: SUSTANABLE ECOTOURISM • PHILIPPINES: SOME EGG HARVEST • STRONG GOVERNMENT SUPPORT

Significant THREATENING PROCESSES currently impacting multiple marine turtle populations include: • FISHERIES BYCATCH IN COASTAL WATER • FISHERIES BYCATCH IN OPEN OCEAN • INGESTION OF SYNTHETIC DEBRIS • ENTANGLEMENT IN MARINE DEBRIS • EXCESSIVE HARVEST OF TURTLES • EXCESSIVE HARVEST OF EGS • EXCESSIVE EGG LOSS TO PREDATORS • COASTAL DEVELOPMENT – HABITAT LOSS/DEGRADATION • COASTAL DEVELOPMENT - ALTERED LIGHT HORIZONS AT NESTING BEACHES • CLIMATE CHANGE NEED CONSERVATION EFFORTS FROM • OVER ARCHING ACTIONS FROM OCEAN BASIN PERSPECTIVE • BILATERAL/MULTINATIONAL INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION • WITHIN COUNTRY GOVERNMENT • LOCAL COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT WITH LOCAL ISSUES

LOGGERHEAD TURTLES IN THE SOUTH PACIFIC A CANDIDATE FOR A “SINGLE SPECIES ACTION PLAN” COASTAL RECRUITMENT LONGLINE BYCATCH CORAL SEA NESTING EAST AUSTRALIAN CURRENT POST-HATCHLINGS PERU & CHILE

NOT CLEAR SEPARATION & COOPERATION IN DELIVERY OF INTERNATIONAL MARINE TURTLE CONSERVATION CMS & IUCN SSC Marine Turtle Specialist Group POOR LIAISON BETWEEN CMS & RAMSAR FOR MAXIMISING MARINE TURTLE CONSERVATION WITHIN RAMSAR SITES