| Date |
Title |
 30 Dec 2004 |
IOSEA Advisory Committee adds fishing gear specialist |
| Intro : The Secretariat is pleased to announce, effective 30 December 2004, the addition of Mr. Bundit Chokesanguan, a fishing gear technology specialist from Thailand, to the IOSEA Advisory Committee.
Mr Chokesguan (or Khun Bundit, as he is known in Thai) brings many years of experience in the development and use of fishing gear, through various posts he has held at the Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center (SEAFDEC) since the early 1980s. |
| 28 Dec 2004 |
Tsunami claims life of young British conservationist |
| Intro : Thousands upon thousands of people perished in the tsunami that claimed innocent victims all around the Indian Ocean on or about 26 December 2005.
The beautiful paradise that was Koh Phra Thong island, on the Andaman coast of Thailand, was transformed forever on that day, along with the lives of so many who lived and worked there.
Tragically, a British woman, Lisa Jones, was among those whose young life the tsunami claimed that day. |
| 24 Dec 2004 |
Advance draft report of FAO Technical Consultation on bycatch available |
| Intro : As reported elsewhere on this site, a group of 28 countries has worked with FAO to produce a set of recommendations for reducing accidental sea turtle deaths in fisheries, calling for wider use of new technologies and improvements in fishing practices, among other measures.
An advance draft copy of the Technical Consultation’s report is now available from the FAO secretariat. FAO will soon begin working on the Guidelines for reducing sea turtle mortality in fisheries operations. |
| 22 Dec 2004 |
International Symposium on SEASTAR2000 and Bio-logging Science |
| Intro : The International Symposium on Southeast Asia Sea Turtle Cooperative Research (SEASTAR2000) and Bio-Logging Science was held from 13-15 December in Bangkok, Thailand with the aim of the promoting the exchange of knowledge and experiences among researchers in ASEAN countries and Japan to perform SEASTAR2000 project and related projects. |
| 22 Dec 2004 |
Flipper Tag Series resource added to IOSEA Website |
| Intro : Whereas there is considerable information available on flipper tag numbers used in the Atlantic and Pacific Ocean basins, through the "Sea Turtle Tag Inventory" of the Archie Carr Center for Sea Turtle Research, coverage of the IOSEA region has, until now, been relatively poor.
The IOSEA Website now hosts a dedicated resource containing tag series used in about 15 countries of the IOSEA region. Dr. Jeanne Mortimer, IOSEA Advisory Committee member, helped initiate the project. It aims to prevent duplication of tag numbers, and to help standardise flipper tag codes used throughout the Indian Ocean – South-East Asia region. |
| 20 Dec 2004 |
Bangladesh establishes national framework for marine turtle conservation |
| Intro : The Ministry of Environment and Forests of Bangladesh has taken decisive action to set up a national framework to implement the IOSEA Marine Turtle MoU. |
| 15 Dec 2004 |
Progress towards reducing sea turtle mortality in fishing operations |
| Intro : On 2 December 2004, delegates attending a Technical Consultation organized under the auspices of the FAO reached agreement on a useful set of Guidelines to Reduce Sea Turtle Mortality in Fishing Operations.
The meeting was very relevant to the IOSEA Marine Turtle MoU, and a number of points raised by the IOSEA Secretariat found their way in the Guidelines. The final product is perfectly complementary to the provisions of the IOSEA Conservation and Management Plan. |
| 10 Dec 2004 |
First satellite tracking of Australian Flatback turtles |
| Intro : As reported on www.seaturtle.org, between 29 September and 5 October 2004, three Flatback sea turtles were fitted with satellite transmitters in the Gulf of Carpentaria of northern Australia.
The turtles were still within the Gulf when the last locations were reported, in mid-November. To view an animated map of the migration, go to www.seaturtle.org. |
| 30 Nov 2004 |
Novel Nairobi Convention-IOSEA collaboration proposed |
| Intro : Participants attending a Western Indian Ocean Region Marine Turtle workshop have proposed a formal link between the Nairobi Convention and the work of the IOSEA Marine Turtle MoU in the Western Indian Ocean (WIO) region.
The meeting acknowledged that the IOSEA Marine Turtle MoU provides a specific framework for marine turtle conservation. It is already operational and has been signed by most of the WIO States. |
| 26 Nov 2004 |
FAO Technical Consultation on Sea Turtles Conservation and Fisheries |
| Intro : A Technical Consultation on Sea Turtles Conservation and Fisheries, convened by the Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO), will be held in the United Nations Conference Centre in Bangkok, Thailand, from 29 November - 2 December 2004.
The Consultation will look into how fisheries agencies can better address sea turtle conservation concerns. Participants from at least 20 countries around the world are expected to attend. |
| 12 Nov 2004 |
Partnership between fishermen and WWF protects important Turtle and Sooty Terns nesting site |
| Intro : Several species of marine turtles and an important colony of more than 4,000 nests of sooty terns (Sterna fuscata) are being protected by Angoche fishermen in a partnership between their local committees and WWF. |
| 9 Nov 2004 |
International Symposium on SEASTAR2000 and Bio-logging Science |
| Intro : The International Symposium on SEASTAR2000 and Bio-logging Science will be held in Bangkok on 13 - 15 December 2004.
The aim of the symposium is to promote the exchange of knowledge and experiences among researchers in ASEAN countries and Japan to perform the SEASTAR2000 project and related projects. |
| 9 Nov 2004 |
First Announcement: Third Signatory State Meeting |
| Intro : The Third Meeting of the Signatory States will be held at the United Nations Conference Centre, in Bangkok, from 29-31 March 2005. The Meeting of Signatory States will be preceded, on Monday 28 March, by a meeting of the IOSEA Advisory Committee. |
| 4 Nov 2004 |
Bali Marine Police confiscate sea turtles -- 45 are released alive |
| Intro : On Tuesday, 2nd November, at 8.00 pm, Marine Police of Bali confiscated 51 live Green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas) and 28 parts of sea turtles (dried plastrons, used as raw material for chips). They were seized in Badung waters, five miles from Mertha Sari Beach - Sanur. The sea turtles were brought by boat (named: KM Mekar Sari) from Dompu (South Sumbawa) to Tanjung Benoa-Bali. |
| 27 Oct 2004 |
Tanzania establishes National Committee for Marine Turtle Conservation and Management |
| Intro : On 26 October, the IOSEA Focal Point for Tanzania, Wilfred Haule, announced the recent establishment of a National Committee on the Conservation and Management of Marine Turtles. The Committee has broad institutional representation from both the Tanzanian Mainland and Zanzibar. |
| 8 Oct 2004 |
Sea Turtles: An ecological guide |
| Intro : David Gulko and Karen Eckert’s new publication explores the ecology and natural history of sea turtles in an attractive and comprehensive format, suitable for a wide audience.
Educators, naturalists, divers, eco-tour operators, resource managers, conservationists and policy-makers will discover the basic concepts of evolution, taxonomy, ecology, and physiology, as well as human impacts and conservation presented in an easy to read format making use of full colour graphics and diagrams. |
| 20 Aug 2004 |
Bellagio Blueprint for Action on Pacific Sea Turtles |
| Intro : The Bellagio Blueprint for Action on Pacific Sea Turtles is an outcome of the Bellagio Conference on the Conservation and Sustainable Management of Sea Turtles, jointly organized by the WorldFish Center (Malaysia) and NOAA-Fisheries (United States).
In November 2003, 25 experts from a variety of backgrounds met at the Bellagio Conference Center in Italy to draft the plan. The resulting Blueprint for Action advocates (1) the protection of all nesting beaches; (2) reducing the take of turtles in at-sea and coastal fisheries; (3) stimulating Pan-Pacific policy actions; and (4) encouraging the sustainability of the traditional use of sea turtles. |
| 11 Aug 2004 |
Handbook on Asia-Pacific Fishery Bodies |
| Intro : The Asia-Pacific Fishery Commission has recently published a useful handbook, which provides a convenient summary of regional and subregional bodies and arrangements concerned with sustainable fisheries and aquaculture development. The handbook includes information on a selection of “environmental/fisheries” arrangements. |
| 10 Aug 2004 |
Viet Nam marine turtle conservation action plan |
| Intro : A Marine Turtle Conservation Action Plan has been developed to address Viet Nam’s declining populations of five marine turtle species. The action plan is part of a project implemented in 2001 by the Ministry of Fisheries (MoF), IUCN, World Wide Fund for Nature - Indochina and TRAFFIC South East Asia. |
| 2 Aug 2004 |
Guide gives fishermen advice on how to catch fish not turtles |
| Intro : A new booklet called ‘Catch Fish Not Turtles Using Longlines’, produced by the Honolulu, Hawaii-based Blue Ocean Institute, aims to address the problem of turtle mortality in longline fishing gear.
Produced in collaboration with UNEP and the IOSEA MoU Secretariat, the pamphlet highlights the importance of testing new kinds of hooks and fishing methods as a way of reducing the number of turtles killed and harmed in fishing gear each year. The techniques aim to minimise interactions with turtles, while maintaining the viability of pelagic longline fisheries. |
| 12 Jul 2004 |
Pakistan signs MoU: IOSEA reaches 20 Signatory State milestone |
| Intro : The Ambassador of Pakistan to the Kingdom of Thailand, H.E. Mr. Mir Hussain Bakhsh Bangulzai, has signed the Memorandum of Understanding on behalf of his Government, in Bangkok on 12 July 2004.
Pakistan is home to Green and Olive ridley turtles, which are known to nest along the shores of Sindh province, and possibly more widely. |
| 7 Jul 2004 |
Malaysia workshop: Conservation and sustainable management of sea turtles |
| Intro : A workshop is being held on 16 –17 August 2004 in Terengganu, Malaysia to follow up on the actions of the Bellagio Blueprint for Action on Pacific Sea Turtles drafted in November 2003. The Blueprint was presented at the Seventh Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP 7) in Malaysia last February.
The workshop will also continue the national initiative of the Roundtable Discussion on the Conservation of Turtles in Malaysia and facilitate and contribute to the implementation of related declarations and MoUs. |
| 5 Jul 2004 |
IATTC adopts marine turtle / by-catch resolutions |
| Intro : The Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC), the body responsible for the conservation and management of fisheries for tunas and other species taken by tuna-fishing vessels in the eastern Pacific Ocean, has recently concluded its 72nd meeting (Lima, 14-18 June).
The Commission adopted two resolutions of special relevance to marine turtle conservation: Consolidated Resolution on Bycatch (C-04-05) and Resolution on a Three-Year Program to Mitigate the Impact of Tuna Fishing on Sea Turtles (C-04-07). |
| 1 Jul 2004 |
Sea Turtle and Dugong Project at Ranong, Thailand |
| Intro : The Wild Animal Rescue Foundation of Thailand (WAR) are starting a new sea turtle and dugong project in December 2003, at Baan Talae Nork, Ranong, Thailand.
Through a collaboration with the Ranong Coastal Resources Research Station (RCRRS) and Kasetsart University, the first year’s activities will concentrate primarily on conservation issues, including basic research and monitoring. |
| 28 Jun 2004 |
IOSEA Signatory State Meeting ends on a high note |
| Intro : The Second Meeting of Signatory States to the IOSEA MoU ended successfully on 19 March, after four days of productive deliberations.
Twenty-three countries – including 16 Signatory States – were officially represented in Bangkok, along with a dozen nongovernmental and intergovernmental organisations. |
| 28 Jun 2004 |
Thailand affirms commitment to sea turtle protection |
| Intro : Thailand has joined a growing list of countries that have signaled their formal commitment to the conservation of marine turtles of the Indian Ocean and South-East Asia region.
The Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, H.E. Mr. Suwit Khunkitti, signed the IOSEA Marine Turtle Memorandum of Understanding on behalf of the Government of Thailand at a ceremony held in the Ministry on 12 May 2004. |
| 28 Jun 2004 |
Managing sea turtles in South East Asia: hatcheries and tagging activities |
| Intro : Realising the need to conserve and protect sea turtle populations from further depletion, coupled with growing awareness and concern among relevant authorities, the public and non-governmental organizations, ASEAN- SEAFDEC Member Countries are giving increasing attention to the issue of sea turtles conservation.
Most Member Countries have established national or regional conservation programs, with particular attention being paid to the critical stages of nesting and the release of hatchlings on the beach and tagging programmes. |
| 28 Jun 2004 |
Coastal Resources Assessment Workshop – Thailand |
| Intro : A workshop was held in Bangkok on 27 May 2004 to review three draft assessments prepared in connection with a 4-year project examining Thai coastal fisheries policy and resource management issues.
The three insightful assessments, which are relevant to other countries dealing with similar policy issues, covered: (1) Fisheries Policy/Reform in Thailand; (2) Coral reef conservation and management; and (3) Resource management with community organization participation in Pattini Province. |
| 28 Jun 2004 |
United States Marine Turtle Conservation Act passed |
| Intro : The Marine Turtle Conservation Act passed the United States House of Representatives on 14 June 2004.
As reported by The Ocean Conservancy, the bill will foster long-term research and protection of nesting populations, promote involvement and education of local communities in conservation, thwart poaching, and help enforce existing laws to protect sea turtles. The bill authorises up to $5 million in annual appropriations for this purpose. |
| 28 Jun 2004 |
25 years of the Convention on Migratory Species |
| Intro : The Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS) aims to conserve and manage avian, marine and terrestrial migratory species as well as their habitats throughout their range.
On 23 June 2004 the Bonn Convention, concluded under the aegis of the United Nations Environment Programme, will celebrate its 25th Anniversary. |
| 31 May 2004 |
IOSEA Signatories reach 18: Oman and Jordan sign MoU |
| Intro : The Ambassador of the Sultanate of Oman, H.E. Mohammed Yousuf Shalwani, signed the Memorandum of Understanding on 16 March 2004.
Oman has a long history of marine turtle conservation, and the population of Green turtles at Ras Al Hadd is considered to be of global importance.
|
| 31 May 2004 |
Rare green turtle nesting reported in Iran |
| Intro : The Islamic Republic of Iran has a coastline of 780 km of which some 270km (Siatan and Baluchestan Provinces) border the Gulf of Oman. Unfortunately, there has been little specific study on sea turtles on this coast in recent years.
In 2003, prospective surveying was carried out along this coastline in an attempt to determine probable nesting sites and feeding habitats. The first green turtle observed nesting in recent times was recorded at Cholotr. |
| 31 May 2004 |
Community-based nest protection programme in Sri Lanka |
| Intro : All five species of sea turtles found in Sri Lanka are known to nest in the Kosgoda area, on the south coast of the island.
The Turtle Conservation Project (TCP) has selected a one-kilometre stretch of beach with the highest nesting density on which to implement an in-situ nest protection programme.
The main goals of this initiative are to protect all sea turtle nests laid within the project boundary, to provide direct and indirect alternatives to those who were previously dependent on egg poaching, to train local people in income generation, to promote eco-sensitive nature tourism, and to foster education and awareness.
|
| 31 May 2004 |
Remarkable breeding record for Australian flatback turtle |
| Intro : An adult flatback turtle (X8473) that recently returned to lay her eggs at Mon Repos Beach in eastern Australia is one of a number of tagged turtles teaching us new information about turtle longevity.
This turtle was tagged in her first nesting season in December 1977. Twenty-six years later, in her 12th breeding season, she is still returning to lay eggs. |
| 3 Mar 2004 |
Mass-nesting of turtles begins in Gahiramatha, India |
| Intro : After three years, an “arribada” (a Spanish term for mass-nesting) has begun anew at Gahiramatha beach in the Kendrapada district, of the Indian coastal state of Orissa.
On the nights of March 1st and 2nd, nearly 200,000 Olive Ridley sea turtles began coming ashore for mass-nesting at the Nasi-I and Nasi-II islands. The turtles, which had already congregated in the sea near the 35 km long Gahiramatha beach, came ashore for nesting in groups comprising nearly 5,000 to 10,000 each. |
