Leatherback populations in the Atlantic are subject to a great number of threats and sources of mortality. The major recognized threat for the leatherback turtle is incidental capture by commercial fisheries, such as longline fishery, high seas driftnets, coastal gill nets, and trawl fishery. Another factor producing significant mortality are impacts with boat propellers and also artisanal fishery. Additionally, they are being slaughtered for their meat throughout the West-African coast and become victims of ropes, lobster pots and debris ingestion along the European coast. Thus, leatherback turtles are currently listed as Critically Endangered in the IUCN Red Data Book (www.redlist.org) and are included in Appendices I and II of CMS. In addition, the species is covered under the Memorandum of Understanding concerning Conservation Measures for Marine Turtles of the Atlantic Coast of Africa, concluded under the auspices of CMS in 1999.

Considering that the survival of the species will depend on international efforts for its conservation at sea, the main objectives of the project are the following: setting up the platform for the compilation and dissemination of travel route information about the trans-oceanic movements of leatherback turtles, for the design of measures to reduce by-catch mortality in Atlantic fisheries. Starting an international, trans-Atlantic cooperation initiative, based on the study of travel routes of leatherbacks, that reaches out to governments, NGOs and fisheries agencies in the Atlantic basin, for the effective conservation of this highly migratory marine species is another objective.

In order to achieve these objectives, the project will undertake the following main activities: Satellite tracking of the leatherback turtles by means of radio-transmitters fitted to the animals with a non-harmful harness. This allows the logging of information such as location of the animal, water temperature and time-depth information to monitor diving behaviour. The radio-transmitters will be fitted to turtles at nesting beaches in Panama (Playa Chiriqui), French Guiana (Awala-Yalimapo Beach) and Gabon (Gamba Protected Area Complex), and off the coast of Uruguay.

Another focus is set on external outreach and visibility. Communication and information materials will be prepared to raise awareness about the conservation needs of leatherback turtles and provide information for governments, NGOs, fishery agencies and the scientific community to promote further research activities and form a basis for developing more effective conservation strategies. These include an Internet page with maps of the logged locations of the turtles; digital and hardcopy versions of maps showing the migration routes of the turtles as found in this and previous studies, including also areas of high fishing activity for identifying hot spots for leatherback bycatch; an international press release on the findings of this study and a brochure in English, Spanish and French to serve as a communication tool across the Atlantic basin and in international forums to raise awareness and suggest actions toward leatherback by-catch reduction.

The project is scheduled for a duration of 15 months starting from March 2005. It is undertaken under the coordination of WWF – Latin America & the Caribbean Programme (LAC). Collaborating agencies include CID/Karumbé-Proyecto Tortugas Marinas del Uruguay, Tortugas Marinas – Programa para América Latina y el Caribe, WWF-France Guyanas Program, Centre d´Ecologie et Physiologie Energétique (CEPE), Caribbean Conservation Corporation, IUCN-France, WWF-Gabon, Bureau régional du Programme Kudu, and others. In addition to financial support from UNEP/CMS, the project is sponsored by WWF-Germany, WWF-Netherlands, WWF-UK and WWF-US.

For more information please visit the project website.