Introductory slide

blanca o golfina blanca o golfina 7 quillas o laúd carey negra cabezona o caguama NOAA poster

Map of area and activities

Los abajo firmantes hacemos un llamado a las Naciones Unidas, a los Estados Unidos y a otras naciones para que declaren una moratoria a la pesquería de palangre pelágico del Pacífico, a la de enmalle, y a otras técnicas de pesca que causan mortalidad de tortugas laúd, hasta tanto esas actividades se puedan llevar a cabo sin dañar a la especie …………………………………………………………………………….. Moratorium request to the United Nations

Número de nidos de tortuga laúd en la Playa Mexiquillo Sarti et. al. (1996,2000,2002)

Número de hembras anidando en Parque Nacional Las Baulas, Costa Rica Parque Nacional Las Baulas, Costa Rica From Spotila, Paladino and Reina 69 02/03

Tortugas Laúd Número de Hembras adultas Todo el Pacífico , , ,490 Pacífico Oriental Pacífico Oriental 19954, ,690

Preliminary results – extinction risk analysis using methods of Dennis et al. (1990) and Holmes (2002 and in press). Crowder et al., in prep. Probabilidad de extinción Tortuga laúd de Playa Grande, Costa Rica Tortuga laúd de Mexiquillo, Mexico Años en el futuro

Laúd = Baula = 7 cueros Local names: 3 cueros, 7 filos, 3 filos, tinglada, gigante, garapacho, etc.

Leatherback Turtle The largest turtle- 900 kg, over 2 m long It migrates from Mexico to Chile and from Malaysia to California The deepest diving animal (to 1000 m, as deep as a whale)

Dutton, Eckert & Benson (unpublished)

Leatherbacks Loggerheads Drifting Dead Month (number) IATTC – observ. - CIAT

Black turtle Drifting Dead Month (number) IATTC – observ. - CIAT

Olive ridley Drifting Dead Month IATTC – observ. - CIAT

Capture rates 0.03 turtles/1,000 hooks (range ) 2 turtles/year 2 turtles/year if they fish 300 hooks/night, 5 nights/week, 50 weeks/year It is difficult for individual fishers to perceive the problem 30 million swordfish hooks 650 million tuna hooks (Lewison et al., in review)

Very important points We know some turtles are killed in the fisheries, (in most fisheries) If somebody else is killing more turtles it doesnt help you to get off the hook Dont waste time, and energy blaming others Deal with your share of the problem, and then..

HELP the others with problems to deal with them;HELP the others with problems to deal with them; and, push the government to address the issuesand, push the government to address the issues You (the fishing community) should become involved in addressing other sources of mortality because ……You (the fishing community) should become involved in addressing other sources of mortality because ……

THE ONLY WAY OUT IS TO CHANGE THE SCORE (the number of females nesting) (the number of females nesting) - people can talk about things, make promises, and then do nothing - at sea you are mostly by yourself, and nobody is checking what you do But if the turtles keep declining you are done.

Even if you are doing everything you can, You still need the others to do their share too; It is not their problem; it is still your problem. –YOU ARE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER, AND YOU NEED TO PULL TOGETHER

Cabezona Verde Laúd Nidos en Refugio Carr, Florida Ehrhart, 1999 In other places, where the turtles have been protected, they are recovering. It can be done.

Percent of captured turtles incidentally killed in purse seine sets Another example of change