IUCN Marine Turtle Specialist Group

The 10th Conference of the Parties (CoP) of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) is happening right now, from October 18 to 29, in Nagoya, Japan. Thousands of decision makers are attending this important meeting to discuss a plan for biodiversity conservation over the next ten years.

Due to its global role in biodiversity conservation, IUCN has a long history with the CBD and a significant presence at the current CoP.  In order to keep the rest of us up to date with respect to what is happening in Nagoya, staff from the IUCN Species Survival Commission have set up a web page where they are posting relevant updates from the conference. This is a great place to stay informed about this important meeting, and to hear about some of the highlights. See it for yourself by clicking here.

The NOAA-NMFS Pacific Islands Research Office has just released an exhaustive review of green turtle (Chelonia mydas) nesting sites and legislation throughout Oceania.  MTSG member Irene Kinan-Kelly is among the authors of this valuable 52-page publication, titled Green Turtle Nesting Sites and Sea Turtle Legislation throughout Oceania (PDF).  The publication provides a “synthesis of 189 Pacific green turtle nesting locations, nesting assemblage characteristics where available, and current national legislation,” complete with a number of useful maps. Continue reading →

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation has just announced the availability of new funding through their Recovered Oil Fund for Wildlife to “support projects that help bolster populations of fish and wildlife species impacted by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.”  This includes all projects that have a demonstrable benefit to sea turtle populations that may have been affected by the spill.  The money for this fund comes from the sale of oil that was recovered from the Gulf of Mexico during/after the spill. Continue reading →

Conservation photographer Paul Hilton has posted a series of shocking images on his website that document the rampant illegal trade of sea turtles in Hainan, China. As we have noted several times in the past (see our reports in Marine Turtle Newsletter 127 and 125), this is an issue of major concern for sea turtle populations throughout Southeast Asia, particularly those in the Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia, from which the animals for this Continue reading →

This is a notice to all interested researchers and conservationists that applications for funding through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Marine Turtle Conservation Fund are being accepted until October 1, 2010. Part of the USFWS Wildlife Without Borders program, the Marine Turtle Conservation Fund is the U.S. government’s only international grants program for marine turtles, and is an excellent opportunity for funding of marine turtle research and conservation projects in all countries. For more information and instructions on how to apply, visit their website.