RISK OF VESSEL STRIKE TO MARINE TURTLES AND POTENTIAL MANAGEMENT OPTIONS

Vessel strike represents a significant threat to marine turtles. As a result, minimizing vessel-related mortality and developing and implementing strategies to reduce interactions between turtles and vessels are high. This multi-stage project aims to obtain information on the distribution of sea turtles and vessels in areas previously identified as hotspots of vessel-strike mortality of marine turtles and assess the willingness of local communities to change their behavior to reduce the risk of watercraft-related mortality to marine turtles. This information will help Identify strategies that can be implemented to reduce marine turtle vessel strike and assess the challenges and opportunities to implement identified strategies.

SPECIFIC PROJECTS

PUBLICATIONS

Fuentes, M. M. P. B. , Meletis, Z. A., Wildermann, N. E., Ware, M. (2021). Conservation interventions to reduce vessel strikes on sea turtles: A case study in Florida. Marine Policy, 128, 104471.

COLLABORATORS

  • Zoë A. Meletis, University of Northern British Columbia
  • Allen M. Foley, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Fish and Wildlife Research Institute