The first Meeting on Research and Conservation of Sea Turtles in the Southwestern Atlantic Ocean (ASO) will take place in Montevideo, Uruguay, from 3-4 October, 2003. The ASO meeting intends to provide a forum where researchers and organizations can present project advances, discuss related activities and share new techniques to promote the conservation of the five species of sea turtles found within the ASO region. The meeting will be held under the auspices of CMS, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other organizations.

The importance of this meeting lies in the necessity to attain tri-national projects and agreements and to develop an Action Plan and a series of protocols for the protection and conservation of sea turtles in the Southwestern Atlantic Ocean. Participants also intend to to standardize working methods between the Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay.

The Southwestern Atlantic Ocean (ASO) is comprised of Argentina, Uruguay and Southern Brazil. This region includes developmental/foraging habitats and migratory corridors for five of the seven species of sea turtles: Caretta caretta (loggerhead), Chelonia mydas (green turtle), Dermochelys coriacea (leatherback), Eretmochelys imbricata (hawksbill), Lepidochelys olivacea (olive ridley turtle).They are threatened due to human-related causes such as habitat degradation as well as incidental and direct fisheries capture.