Marine turtles are among the most threatened migratory species, facing mounting pressures across their complex life cycles. Preserving and restoring marine turtle ecological connectivity is essential to their future survival. Yet, despite having more available data than most other marine taxa, advancements in synthesizing marine turtle connectivity science still lags behind. Available data are fragmented, unpublished or inaccessible, and major gaps, particularly in genetics, continue to limit our understanding of marine turtle connectivity. Conservation efforts remain biased towards certain species and regions, with most attention on nesting beaches and less focus on in-water habitats where turtles spend most of their lives. There is a disconnect between communities, researchers and decision-makers who operate within different institutional cultures, timeframes, and incentives to collect and share data. 

Now, a major opportunity exists to bring marine turtle connectivity and Important Marine Turtle Areas (IMTAs) into the “policy seascape”. Synthesizing spatial data describing how marine turtles use and connect ocean habitats will inform the designation of IMTAs and help deliver on global, regional and national policies and targets such as the CMS Ecological Connectivity, the Global Biodiversity Framework 30x30 agendas and the UN’s High Seas Treaty (BBNJ), through inclusive, evidence-based action. At this event, we introduce the Blue Corridors for Turtles (BC4T) and ShellBank projects - frameworks that will, for the first time, connect movement data with genetics at a global scale, supporting the establishment of IMTAs. We will hear from CMS and supporting entities as to the importance of marine turtle ecological connectivity and their support of the BC4T process. BC4T aspires to be a pivotal force not only in advancing marine turtle conservation, but also empowering the community to prioritize area-based conservation of marine turtles - migratory species that play vital roles in ocean health and in connecting nature and people worldwide.