In this issue:

Join Us in Celebrating the 20th Anniversary of the MOU!

2021 is the year in which the IOSEA Marine Turtles MOU celebrates its twentieth anniversary – a reason to celebrate, reflect and make a special effort to support marine turtle conservation in the IOSEA region! 

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Happy World Sea Turtle Day – We Need Your Video!

We would like to invite all of you turtle lovers in the IOSEA region to submit a short video of yourselves, alone or in a group, saying or even shouting the words “Happy World Sea Turtle Day!” in your local language. Turtle props are optional but welcome.

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Your Contribution to Future Newsletters

Below you will find a selection of marine turtle conservation news from the Secretariat, the AC and IOSEA MOU partners in the region. 

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  IOSEA SECRETARIAT
Hawksbill Turtle © Naja Bertolt-Jensen/Unsplash.com

Advisory Committee and Western Indian Ocean Marine Turtle Task Force Kick Off the Series of Meetings in the Anniversary Year

The 9th Meeting of the Advisory Committee (AC9), the first ever held independently of a Meeting of Signatory States (MOS), convened online from 15 to 19 March 2021. 

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Dr Col Limpus - recording green turtle nesting on Diamond Island, Myanmar, in 2012

Congratulations to Dr Col Limpus, an Officer of the Order of Australia

The CMS/IOSEA Marine Turtle MOU Secretariat extends heartfelt congratulations to Dr Colin ‘Col’ Limpus for being made an Officer of the Order of Australia in the Queen’s Birthday Honours on 7 June. 

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  PUBLICATIONS
© IUCN-SSC Marine Turtle Specialist Group

2020 MTSG Regional Reports are Online

In 2017 the Marine Turtle Specialist Group (MTSG) of the IUCN-Species Survival Commission launched a regional reporting initiative that aims to harness the collective power of its global expert members to compile and summarize the most relevant data for conservation of sea turtles in each of the 10 MTSG regions and their respective marine turtle Regional Management Units (RMUs).

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Launch of the Dugong & Seagrass Hub

In recognition of World Seagrass Day 2021, we are thrilled to announce the official launch of the Dugong & Seagrass Hub. The Hub is a communal platform for dugong and seagrass conservationists to collate and share information, resources, best practice and lessons learned working to conserve seagrass ecosystems in dugong range states.

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Bu Tinah 2018 © VBK Photography / Emirates Nature-WWF

Results of the Gulf Green Turtle Project show turtles on the move

As iconic migratory species, there is critical importance in understanding the connectivity between sea turtle foraging and nesting areas, in order to ensure effective conservation planning and threat mitigation. 

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  CONSERVATION
Two-weekly turtle track surveys take place on the Index Beach in Diego Garcia to inform population estimates for hawksbill and green turtles © Nicole Esteban & Graeme Hays

Recent Estimates of Sea Turtle Nesting Populations Indicate the Regional Importance of the Chagos Archipelago

The IUCN Red List of Threatened species relies on national or regional groups such as IOSEA Task Forces to guide collection of systematic metrics on population size and trends in abundance over time. 

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Sub-adult Loggerhead Turtle with Argos tag © Kelonia

STORM - Sea Turtles for Ocean Research and Monitoring

The Atmosphere and Cyclones Laboratory and Kelonia have equipped 11 juvenile sea turtles (8 Loggerhead Turtles and 3 Olive Ridley Turtles) with Argos tags equipped with additional sensors. rmen in Reunion Island waters.

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Introduction to TED to the local fishing communities by MRF & Department of Fisheries Officers © Marine Research Foundation

Turtle Excluder Device as a sustainable fishing practice in Malaysia

Malaysia’s fishing industry is dominated by trawl fisheries, contributing almost 50% of overall fish landings. This contributes to a high mortality rate of sea turtles accidentally caught in these fishing nets, especially by shrimp trawl fleets – as turtles and shrimps happen to share the same habitats. 

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Figure 3. A green turtle hatchling making its way to the ocean. © Cousine Island Conservation Management

Improving Hatching Success on Cousine Island, Republic of Seychelles

Cousine Island is a small granitic island (25.7 ha) within the Republic of Seychelles containing a singular beach on its eastern, windward side. 

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Presentation of Site Network Certificate for Con Dao National Park

Ceremony Held to Hand Over Site Network Certificate for Con Dao National Park

On 13 November 2020, the Directorate of Fisheries (DFISH) under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam convened a ceremony to recognize Con Dao National Park as the 11th Site of the Network of Sites of Importance for Marine Turtles in the Indian Ocean - South-East Asia Region.  

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  SWOT SERIES – STATE OF THE WORLD'S SEA TURTLES
© Brian Hutchinson

SWOT Threat Series #1: Fisheries Bycatch

This is the first issue of a new online series on the biggest threats to sea turtles by State of the World's Sea Turtles (SWOT). This issue has been written by Dr. Nick Pilcher, Marine Research Foundation.

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Egg harvest during an arribada

SWOT Threat Series #2: Direct Take

This is the second issue of a new online series on the biggest threats to sea turtles by State of the World's Sea Turtles (SWOT). This issue has been written by Brad Nahill, SEE Turtles.

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© Greenpeace ©Carè ©Marine Photobank

SWOT Threat Series #3: Pollution and Pathogens

This is the third issue of a new online series on the biggest threats to sea turtles by State of the World's Sea Turtles (SWOT). This issue has been written by Nathan Robinson (Fundación Oceanogràfic / Wild Blue Science) & Bryan Wallace (Ecolibrium Inc. / Duke University).

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Development Hawksbay Beach, Pakistan

SWOT Threat Series #4: Coastal Development

This is the fourth issue of a new online series on the biggest threats to sea turtles by State of the World's Sea Turtles (SWOT). This issue has been written by Blair Witherington (Inwater Research Group).

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© Matthew Ware, FSU MTRECG - taken during permitted research activities

SWOT Threat Series #5: Climate Change

This is the fifth and final issue of a new online series on the biggest threats to sea turtles by State of the World's Sea Turtles (SWOT). This issue has been written by Mariana Fuentes (Florida State University).

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