Sea Turtle Blog

STRP asks Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission for More Sea Turtle Protection

For Immediate Release: August 25th, 2008 Contact:   Carole H. Allen 281-444-6204

Carole Allen, Gulf Office Director of the Sea Turtle Restoration Project asked the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission at its August 20 meeting in Houston to provide more protection and funding for sea turtle patrols and nesters on the entire Texas coast. She called attention to the increase of Kemp's ridley sea turtle nests from only six in 1996 to 195 in 2008 stating that one of the most important factors is the 8 1/2-month no-shrimping closure of the five nautical mile zone in South Texas waters that the Commission approved in 2000.

 

Dr. Donna Shaver, Chief of the Sea Turtle Science and Recovery program at the Padre Island National Seashore wrote in the 2007 annual report that "This closure has likely helped limit strandings of adult Kemp's ridley turtles and increase nesting on the south Texas coast."

 

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) recreational fishing forecast website summarizes the improvement in shrimp catch since the new commercial shrimping regulations were adopted in 2000 in this way: These trends further indicate that the 2000 regulations, in combination with the other management measures already in place, are having a positive effect on Texas shrimp populations.

 

Mike Ray, deputy director of TPWD's Coastal Fisheries Division, confirmed that "Reduced trawling, whether it's due to high fuel costs, low shrimp prices at the dock, or regulatory restrictions does correlate to less by-catch. Juvenile red snapper have increased in recent years and one reason for this is less trawling effort."

 

Allen stated "this closure has improved sea turtle nesting, recreational fishing and shrimp harvests making the case for extending the south Texas shrimping closure to 12 months and for extending this five nautical mile shrimping closure to the entire Texas coast."

 

She also called attention to the increase of turtle nesting on the upper Texas coast. Dr. Andre Landry of Texas A&M University at Galveston has conducted nesting patrols for the last two years on Galveston Island adding Bolivar Peninsula this past year and collected data for the upper Texas coast from Sabine Pass to Matagorda Peninsula.His research shows that a new nesting record was set for the upper Texas coast this year with 17 nests and that more nests undoubtedly would have been documented if more patrols and more people had been involved.In its first year of patrols in 2008, Bolivar Peninsula led the upper Texas coast in nesting activity with eight documented nests.

 

In addition, satellite-tracking studies conducted by Texas A&M University at Galveston on Kemp's ridleys nesting on Bolivar, Galveston and Surfside beaches indicates that these nesters remain in near shore waters of the upper Texas coast during the 3 1/2 month nesting season. Allen said "these nesters and their offspring, like their counterparts at Padre Island National Seashore and South Padre Island, deserve the same protection of a five nautical mile no shrimping zone just like the south Texas closure provides."

 

Allen pointed out that "in-water research has shown that Kemp's ridleys forage off the upper Texas and Louisiana coasts and migrate all along the Texas coast. As such, more attention and more protection are needed immediately for the upper Texas Coast sea turtle population."She formally asked that TPWD partner with US Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service to provide more funds for nesting patrols, in-water assessment of sea turtles as well as increased law enforcement on the upper Texas coast.

 

Allen closed by saying that "the Commission and the people of Texas should be very proud that the Kemp's ridley sea turtle population is showing encouraging increases after years of grim statistics about their decline. TPWD research has shown that the closure adopted in 2000 has improved recreational fishing, shrimping and sea turtle nesting in South Texas waters. Now is the time to expand the South Texas closure to twelve months, to include all Texas waters in the five-mile closure and to provide funding for patrols and protection for sea turtle nesters and nests on the upper Texas coast."

Carole Allen

Good morning:

Please see http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/5894351.html

This excellent article in today's Houston Chronicle by Harvey Rice points out issues that must be addressed if we are to document more Kemp's ridleys on the upper Texas Coast and make sure they survive.  We need many more patrols and much more public awareness.  Representing thousands of citizens who have supported the recovery of the Kemp's ridley sea turtle for 30 years, the Sea Turtle Restoration Project asks the US Fish and Wildlife Service to provide funding and staffing for patrols and protection of nesters and hatchlings. We have been very fortunate that the Galveston facility of National Marine Fisheries Service has stretched their manpower to respond to calls from the public regarding sea turtles from the Louisiana border to Freeport.  With the obvious increase in Kemp's ridley nesters, they must have help.  We also request that Texas Parks and Wildlife Department assist in providing research funds for more patrolling on the upper Texas coast. 

The emergence of hatchlings from a nest on Bolivar Peninsula that had not been discovered and the subsequent death of hatchlings from traffic makes it obvious that more patrols are needed.  The massive daily patrol program provided by federal staff and volunteers at the Padre Island National Seashore has proven once again that more vigilance results in finding more sea turtles and their nests.  Of the 193 nests found this year on the Texas Coast, 91 of them were located at the Padre Island National Seashore. It is time for the upper Texas Coast to receive equal attention from both federal and state agencies. 

Carole Allen, Gulf Office Director

Sea Turtle Restoration Project-TEXAS

HEART (Help Endangered Animals-Ridley Turtles)

P. O. Box 681231

Houston, Texas 77268-1231

Phone/FAX 281-444-6204

Websites: www.ridleyturtles.org

               www.seaturtles. org

The 2008 Nesting Season is Over

SEA TURTLE RESTORATION PROJECT - TEXAS

HEART

NEWS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE USE (Contact Carole Allen, 281-444-0564)

The nesting season for the endangered Kemp’s ridley is over. A remarkable total of 192 nests were found along the Texas coast compared to 128 in 2007.  This is the fifth consecutive year for nesting increases. Nests were found from Boca Chica Beach near the Mexican border to Bolivar Peninsula and beaches in between. The first leatherback nest in 30 years was found as well as a loggerhead nest on the Padre Island National Seashore where 91 of the 192 ridley nests were documented. Three green turtle nests were also found this year. The public is invited to witness the release of Kemp’s ridley hatchlings at the Padre Island National Seashore. Anyone interested can call 361-949-7163 for dates of the public releases.

The Kemp’s ridleys, near extinction in 1985, have been the focus of a 30 year international conservation program with the Republic of Mexico and the United States involved. From 1978 to 1988, eggs from the primary Mexican nesting site were incubated at the Padre Island National Seashore with hatchlings transferred to the National Marine Fisheries Service facility at Galveston.

They were raised for almost a year until 1993 and then released. Although Turtle Excluder Devices (TED) to allow sea turtles to escape drowning in shrimp trawls were not mandatory until 1990 in U.S. waters, many of the “head started) turtles survived and are nesting on both U.S. and Mexican beaches.

The state and federal closure prohibiting all shrimping will end July 15 at sundown. The closure allows brown shrimp to reach a more valuable size before harvest. This closure also benefits sea turtles that are at risk because of shrimpers who fish illegally without TEDs or use them improperly. Both state and federal law enforcement including the Coast Guard board shrimp boats to find lawbreakers.

Although nesting turtles may not be found, anyone who sees hatchlings on a Texas beach should immediately call 1-866-TURTLE-5 and protect the hatchlings as they make their way to the water.

Sea Turtle Restoration Project-Texas

NEWS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE USE (Contact Carole Allen, 281-444-0564)

 

July 12, 2008

 

Sea turtles make history on the Texas coast!

The nesting season for the endangered Kemp’s ridley is over. A remarkable total of 192 nests were found along the

Texas

coast compared to

128 in

2007.  This is the fifth consecutive year for nesting increases. Nests were found from

Boca

Chica

Beach

near the Mexican border to

Bolivar

Peninsula

and beaches in between. The first leatherback nest in 30 years was found as well as a loggerhead nest on the Padre Island National Seashore where 91 of the 192 ridley nests were documented. Three green turtle nests were also found this year. The public is invited to witness the release of Kemp’s ridley hatchlings at the Padre Island National Seashore. Anyone interested can call 361-949-7163 for dates of the public releases.

The Kemp’s ridleys, near extinction in 1985, have been the focus of a 30 year international conservation program with the

Republic

of

Mexico

and the

United   States

involved. From 1978 to 1988, eggs from the primary Mexican nesting site were incubated at the Padre Island National Seashore with hatchlings transferred to the National Marine Fisheries Service facility at

Galveston

. They were raised for almost a year until 1993 and then released. Although Turtle Excluder Devices (TED) to allow sea turtles to escape drowning in shrimp trawls were not mandatory until

1990 in

U.S. waters, many of the “head started) turtles survived and are nesting on both U.S. and Mexican beaches.

The state and federal closure prohibiting all shrimping will end July 15 at sundown. The

closure allows brown shrimp to reach a more valuable size before harvest. This closure also benefits sea turtles that are at risk because of shrimpers who fish illegally without TEDs or use them improperly. Both state and federal law enforcement including the Coast Guard board shrimp boats to find lawbreakers.

Although nesting turtles may not be found, anyone who sees hatchlings on a

Texas

beach should immediately call 1-866-TURTLE-5 and protect the hatchlings as they make their way to the water.

 

So far this year, 192 Kemp's ridley nests have been confirmed

Today an old Kemp's ridley nest was found on the Texas coast.  It was
located at a track site found on San Jose Island where a nest could not
initially be located.  None of the eggs were viable.

KEMP'S RIDLEY TURTLE
So far this year, 192 Kemp's ridley nests have been confirmed on the

Texas coast including (north to south in state): Bolivar Peninsula 5
Galveston Island 6 Brazoria County, just north of Surfside 1 Surfside
Beach 2 Quintana Beach 1 Bryan Beach 0 Matagorda Peninsula 0 Matagorda
Island 13 San Jose Island 5 Mustang Island 5 North Padre Island 102,
including 91 at Padre Island National Seashore South Padre Island 40
Boca Chica Beach 12

The 192 exceeds the previous record of 128 Kemp's ridley nests found in

Texas set during 2007.  This marks the fifth consecutive year that
record numbers of Kemp's ridley nests have been recorded in Texas since
record keeping began in 1980.


GREEN TURTLE

So far this year, 3 green sea turtle nests have been confirmed on the
Texas coast including: North Padre Island 2, including 2 at Padre Island
National Seashore South Padre Island 1

LOGGERHEAD TURTLE
Today a loggerhead sea turtle nest was found on the Texas coast.  It was

located at Padre Island National Seashore.

So far this year, 1 loggerhead sea turtle nest has been confirmed on the

Texas coast including: North Padre Island 1, including 1 at Padre Island
National Seashore

LEATHERBACK TURTLE
So far this year, 1 leatherback sea turtle nest has been confirmed on
the Texas coast including: North Padre Island 1, including 1 at Padre
Island National Seashore

182 Kemp's Ridley Nests

KEMP'S RIDLEY TURTLE

Yesterday a new Kemp's Ridley nest was found on the Texas coast at Padre Island National Seashore.

So far this year, 182 Kemp's Ridley nests have been confirmed on the

Texas coast including (north to south in state):

Bolivar Peninsula 5
Galveston Island 6
Brazoria County, just north of Surfside 1
Surfside Beach 2
Quintana Beach 1
Bryan Beach 0
Matagorda Peninsula 0
Matagorda Island 13
San Jose Island 4
Mustang Island 5
North Padre Island 98, including 87 at Padre Island National Seashore South Padre Island 38

Boca Chica Beach 9

The 182 exceeds the previous record of 128 Kemp's ridley nests found in

Texas set during 2007.  This marks the fifth consecutive year that
record numbers of Kemp's ridley nests have been recorded in Texas since
record keeping began in 1980.


GREEN TURTLE

So far this year, 1 Green sea turtle nest has been confirmed on the
Texas coast including: South Padre Island 1

LEATHERBACK TURTLE

So far this year, 1 Leatherback sea turtle nest has been confirmed on
the Texas coast including: North Padre Island 1, including 1 at Padre
Island National Seashore

Kemp's Ridley Nest Count Reaches 174

KEMP'S RIDLEY TURTLE

Yesterday 1 Kemp's Ridley nest was found on the Texas coast on South Padre Island.  This nest was found hatching at a location where tracks from a nesting female were found on April 24, but no nest could be found then.

So far this year, 174 Kemp's Ridley nests have been confirmed on the Texas coast including (north to south in state):
Bolivar Peninsula 4
Galveston Island 6
Brazoria County, just north of Surfside 1
Surfside Beach 2
Bryan Beach 0
Matagorda Peninsula 0
Matagorda Island 11
San Jose Island 3
Mustang Island 5
North Padre Island 95, including 85 at Padre Island National Seashore South Padre Island 38
Boca Chica Beach 9

The 174 exceeds the previous record of 128 Kemp's ridley nests found in Texas set during 2007.  This marks the fifth consecutive year that record numbers of Kemp's Ridley nests have been recorded in Texas since record keeping began in 1980.

LEATHERBACK TURTLE

So far this year, 1 Leatherback sea turtle nest has been confirmed on the Texas coast including:

North Padre Island 1 (At Padre Island National Seashore)

172 Kemp's Ridley nests have been confirmed.

KEMP'S RIDLEY TURTLE

So far this year, 172 Kemp's ridley nests have been confirmed on the

Texas coast including (north to south in state): Bolivar Peninsula 4
Galveston Island 6 Brazoria County, just north of Surfside 1 Surfside

Beach 2 Bryan Beach 0 Matagorda Peninsula 0 Matagorda Island 11 San Jose
Island 3 Mustang Island 5 North Padre Island 95, including 85 at Padre

Island National Seashore South Padre Island 36 Boca Chica Beach 9

The 172 exceeds the previous record of 128 Kemp's ridley nests found in
Texas set during 2007.  This marks the fifth consecutive year that
record numbers of Kemp's ridley nests have been recorded in Texas since
record keeping began in 1980.

LEATHERBACK TURTLE

So far this year, 1 leatherback sea turtle nest has been confirmed on
the Texas coast including: North Padre Island 1, including 1 at Padre
Island National Seashore

Hatchlings!

Corpus Christi Caller Times

From the Corpus Christi Caller Times, Caller.com:
Slowly but surely,turtle numbers rise

http://caller.com/news/2008/jun/08/slowly-but-surely-turtle-numbers-rise