The study in the
journal Ecosphere said sea turtles in the East Pacific, North Atlantic,
Southwest Atlantic and Mediterranean face the
highest by-catch mortality rates.
However, not enough is known about the problem in much of the world, with
"significant data gaps" in the Indian Ocean and the waters off Africa
and Southeast Asia highlighting the
"urgent need for increased monitoring," said the study.
"We lose hundreds or thousands of turtles each year in populations that
are already at risk," said lead author Bryan Wallace of Duke University
Researchers also found that near-shore fisheries pose a significant threat to
turtles, rivaling that of large scale, open ocean fisheries.
The highest by-catch rates in the world were found in small-scale fishing
operations off the coast of Baja California , Mexico
Last year more than 2,000 turtles were killed by the small fleet, marking a
600% increase over previous mortality estimates, the group said.
The analysis was based on more than 1,800 by-catch records spanning back two
decades, and was done by researchers from Conservation International, Oceanic
Society, San Diego State University ,
Duke University
and Stanford University
"This study should serve as an initial roadmap to prioritize investment of
limited resources to sustainably manage fisheries to minimize by-catch,"
Mr. Wallace said.
Previous research has shown that use of nets with turtle-sized escape hatches
can drastically cut back on accidental deaths.
Six of the world’s seven species of sea turtles are considered endangered. --
AFP
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