sea turtle monitoring

With the in-water monitoring activities, STCB collects data on the following CITES species:

• (a) green turtles; (b) hawksbill turtles; (c) loggerhead turtles; (d) sharks; (e) rays.

In addition, data is collected on:

• (f) barracudas; (g) tarpons; (h) rainbow parrotfish; (i) midnight parrotfish; (j) fish schools (creole fish, creole wrasse, black durgon, blue tang/surgeon fish, palometa, chub, bar jack, black margate, horse-eye jack, school master, yellow-tail snapper).
• Time of survey: date and time.
• Environment: horizontal and vertical visibility, food availability, substrate, water temperature.
• Disturbance: presence and number of fishing boats and humans in the survey regions.
• Observers: number of observers and their level of experience.

For the in-water monitoring activities, STCB has divided Bonaire into three survey regions: Northwest Bonaire, Southwest Bonaire and Klein Bonaire. Within these survey regions, eighteen fixed systematically random transects (survey areas) have been set up. Subsequently, an additional eighteen random transects were set up in the areas between the fixed transects. Therefore, a total of 36 transects have been set.

The St Eustatius National Parks Foundation (STENAPA) established the Sea Turtle Conservation Program following concerns that the island’s sea turtle populations were being threatened by anthropogenic disturbance and destruction of nesting beach habitats through sand mining, joy riding and pollution.

A community outreach campaign was organized in 2001 to begin raising public awareness about sea turtle conservation issues. Subsequent to this initiative, a beach monitoring program was started in 2002 in affiliation with the Wider Caribbean Sea Turtle Conservation Network (WIDECAST). The first two years of the program saw very sporadic monitoring of the index beach due to a lack of personnel. In 2003 however, regular night patrols were conducted following the introduction of the Working Abroad Program, which brings groups of international volunteers to assist with projects in the National and Marine Parks. By 2004 the program had expanded to include morning track surveys on several of the island’s nesting beaches, with a dedicated vehicle and a full- time project coordinator during the nesting season.

Data from the Sea Turtle Conservation Program have shown that three species of sea turtle regularly nest on St Eustatius; the leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea), the green (Chelonia mydas) and the hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata), all of which are classified as either endangered or critically endangered by the IUCN. There was also an unconfirmed 2004 report of nesting by a fourth species, the loggerhead (Caretta caretta), which IUCN classes as threatened. In the 2010 season, two Loggerhead nests were excavated confirming for the first time that species’ use of Statia’s beaches.

The ultimate objective of the St Eustatius Sea Turtle Conservation Program is to promote long-term survival of the sea turtle populations on and around the island. This goal is achieved by safeguarding critical sea turtle habitats, conducting research to provide policy and decision makers with current, relevant data on the status of sea turtles in the region, and limiting environmental impacts on nesting beaches and near-shore waters. One of the most important factors to ensure the success of the project is the direct involvement of the local community in the program to promote a better understanding of the importance of long-term conservation, not just for sea turtles but for other locally threatened species.

The aims of this Annual Report include the following:

• Summarize the activities of the 2010 Sea Turtle Conservation Program.
• Review the accomplishments and deficiencies of the program in 2010.
• Suggest recommendations for the 2011 program.
• Provide a summary of the data from 2010 research initiatives.
• Present information locally, regionally and internationally about the research and monitoring program on the island.
• Produce a progress report for the Island Government, potential program funding organizations, the local community and international volunteers. 

The St Eustatius National Parks Foundation (STENAPA) established the Sea Turtle Conservation Program following concerns that the island‟s sea turtle populations were being threatened by anthropogenic disturbance and destruction of nesting beach habitats through sand mining, joy riding and pollution.

A community outreach campaign was organized in 2001 to begin raising public awareness about sea turtle conservation issues. Subsequent to this initiative, a beach monitoring program was started in 2002 in affiliation with the Wider Caribbean Sea Turtle Conservation Network (WIDECAST). The first two years of the program saw very sporadic monitoring of the index beach due to a lack of personnel. In 2003 however, regular night patrols were conducted following the introduction of the Working Abroad Program, which brings groups of international volunteers to assist with projects in the National and Marine Parks. By 2004 the program had expanded to include morning track surveys on several of the island‟s nesting beaches, with a dedicated vehicle and a full- time project coordinator during the nesting season.

Data from the Sea Turtle Conservation Program have shown that three species of sea turtle regularly nest on St Eustatius; the leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea), the green (Chelonia mydas) and the hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata), all of which are classified as either endangered or critically endangered by the IUCN. There was also an unconfirmed 2004 report of nesting by a fourth species, the loggerhead (Caretta caretta), which IUCN classes as threatened.

The ultimate objective of the St Eustatius Sea Turtle Conservation Program is to promote long-term survival of the sea turtle populations on and around the island. This goal is achieved by safeguarding critical sea turtle habitats, conducting research to provide policy and decision makers with current, relevant data on the status of sea turtles in the region, and limiting environmental impacts on nesting beaches and near-shore waters. One of the most important factors to ensure the success of the project is the direct involvement of the local community in the program to promote a better understanding of the importance of long-term conservation, not just for sea turtles but for other locally threatened species.

The aims of this Annual Report include the following:

•  Summarize the activities of the 2012 Sea Turtle Conservation Program.
•  Review the accomplishments and deficiencies of the program in 2012.
•  Suggest recommendations for the 2013 program.
•  Provide a summary of the data from 2012 research initiatives.
•  Present information locally, regionally and internationally about the research and monitoring program on the island.
•  Produce a progress report for the Island Government, potential program funding organizations, the local community and international volunteers. 

Raw data of sea turtle in-water-catch monitoring on Bonaire, including locations, species, carapace size, diseases, parasites, etc.

Please contact STCB for more information.

Raw data of sea turtle nesting monitoring on Bonaire, including nesting efforts, nest locations, species, number of eggs, number of hatchlings, etc.

Please contact STCB for more information.

Sea Turtle Conservation Bonaire (STCB) was initiated in the early 1990s to protect the island’s marine turtle populations. Our current research and monitoring efforts, which were standardized more than a decade ago, include monitoring important nesting beaches around Bonaire, conducting intensive in-water netting and snorkel surveys (capture-markrecapture), and tracking post-breeding turtle migration using satellite telemetry. These techniques provide us with a better understanding of Bonaire sea turtles’ breeding success, abundance, health, residency duration, habitat quality, growth rates, migratory paths, distant feeding grounds, and threats.
During the 2013 season, we observed 77 nests at our index beach on Klein Bonaire. Total hawksbill (54) and loggerhead (23) nests documented there were similar to numbers observed during recent years. Across Bonaire and Klein Bonaire, we observed four species crawling 231 times, including 126 confirmed or suspected nests. Because our coverage of the island was not complete and weather conditions can quickly obscure crawls, these nation-wide figures represent the minimum number of crawls and nests that occurred on Bonaire and Klein Bonaire during 2013. As in previous years, nesting activities peaked during June through August. Thirty-four green turtle nests and a single leatherback nest were recorded in northeastern Bonaire, whereas hawksbills and loggerheads primarily nested on Klein Bonaire and beaches of southern Bonaire.
We observed green turtles and hawksbills along the west coast of Bonaire, around Klein Bonaire, and adjacent to Lac during snorkel surveys. Green turtle sightings were particularly high near Lac, and netting surveys also suggested large aggregations of green turtles in shallow, sea grass foraging sites of Lac. Green turtles documented there were larger than individuals reported elsewhere in Bonaire.
Five green turtles tagged in 2003 and 2006 were reported in Nicaragua’s sea turtle harvest, valuable data about sea turtle movements which complement our satellite tracking program. Unfortunately, incidences of fibropapillomatosis among green turtles were more widespread in 2013 than recent seasons.
In 2013, we tracked a post-nesting female hawksbill turtle using satellite telemetry from Bonaire to Honduras over a period of 85 days. The turtle passed through six national territorial waters, swimming over 5,000 km (3,000 mi) to reach a general area proven to be important foraging grounds for Bonaire breeding turtles.
We also outfitted a hawksbill with a datalogger to gather information on hawksbill habitat use and behaviors. The device, which collects GPS locations and depth information, was retrieved in July, 2013. Preliminary results are consistent with previously deployed dataloggers, indicating regular movements in and out of Lac Bay.
Sadly, we recorded 18 turtles stranded during 2013, 12 of which were found dead or had to be euthanized.
We will be undertaking several new research initiatives in the year ahead, including using our tagging data to estimate the total population of sea turtles using Bonaire’s waters (which will help to inform management policy) and to estimate the tremendous growth rates of green turtles in Lac, as well as reviewing our monitoring program to ensure that protocols are as efficient as possible.