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CONSERVATION STRATEGIES |
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To truly protect sea turtles around the world, many different countries
and cultures must cooperate and share responsibility. International laws
and agreements, research, and the work of dedicated organizations and
individuals each must play a part. Feeding and nesting grounds must be
protected, and a public wildlife conservation ethic must be fostered
that can withstand gaps in government regulations, pressure from private
interests, and changes in the political climate. INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENTS Some regulations affecting sea turtles are global in scope. The "Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species" (CITES) controls international trade in endangered and threatened species. Sea turtles are covered under Appendix I of this agreement and receive protection from international trade by all countries that have signed the treaty. CONSERVATION GOALS The threats facing sea turtles are numerous and, for the most part, humans are the problem. For those of us trying to protect sea turtles, it is a mixed blessing that so many threats are human-caused. On one hand, it is very hard to change human behavior. On the other hand, at least there is hope for eliminating threats. If sea turtles were going extinct because of geological or climatic changes, there would be very little we could do to help. SOME IMMEDIATE GOALS FOR PROTECTING SEA TURTLES • Crack down on illegal international trade in sea turtles and their products by enforcing laws and agreements. • Decrease the turtle deaths caused by commercial fishing through enforcement of Turtle Excluder Device (TED) and gill net regulations. • Protect nesting beaches by establishing parks and refuges or through regulations combined with public education initiatives. • Eliminate disturbances at nesting beaches by decreasing artificial lighting, halting beach armoring, regulating beach nourishment and limiting the impacts of people on the beach. • Enforce national and international laws to minimize the dumping of pollutants and solid waste into the ocean and nearshore waters. • Continue research and monitoring activities so that the population can be monitored and conservation efforts can be focused where they are most needed. • Increase public awareness and community participation in sea turtle conservation through educational programs such as this.
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