Marine turtles are of conservation concern throughout their range, with past population
declines largely due to exploitation through both legal and illegal take, and incidental
capture in fisheries. Whilst much research effort has been focused on nesting beaches
and elaborating migratory corridors, these species spend the vast ...
Marine turtles are of conservation concern throughout their range, with past population
declines largely due to exploitation through both legal and illegal take, and incidental
capture in fisheries. Whilst much research effort has been focused on nesting beaches
and elaborating migratory corridors, these species spend the vast majority of their lifecycle in foraging grounds, which are, in some species, quite discrete. To understand
and manage these populations, empirical data are needed on distribution, space-use,
and habitats to best inform design of protective measures. Here we describe space-use,
occupancy, and wide-ranging movements derived from conventional flipper tagging and
satellite tracking of sub-adult green turtles (Chelonia mydas) within the coastal waters
of the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI; 2011–2017). 623 turtles were fitted with flipper
tags, with 69 subsequently recaptured, five of which in international waters. Sixteen
individual turtles of between 63 and 81 cm curved carapace length were satellite tracked
for a mean 226 days (range: 38–496). Data revealed extended periods of occupancy
in the shallow coastal waters within a RAMSAR protected area. Satellite tracking and
flipper tagging showed wide-ranging movements, with flipper tag recaptures occurring
in waters off Nicaragua (n = 4), and Venezuela (n = 1). Also, four of 16 satellite tracked
turtles exhibiting directed movements away (displaced >450 km) from TCI waters
traveling through nine geo-political zones within the Caribbean-Atlantic basin, as well
as on the High Seas. One turtle traveled to the Central American coast before settling
on inshore habitat in Colombia’s waters for 162 days before transmission ceased,
indicating ontogenetic dispersal to a distant foraging habitat. These data highlight
connectivity throughout the region, displaying key linkages between countries that have
previously only been linked by genetic evidence. This study also provides evidence
of the importance of the Turks and Caicos Islands marine protected area network
and importance of effective management of the sea turtle fishery for regional green
turtle populations.