The Science and Policy Behind Proposed Sea Turtle
Conservation Measures
Lekelia D. Jenkins
Nicholas School of the Environment and Earth Sciences, Duke University Marine
Laboratory, 135 Duke Marine Lab Road,
Beaufort, NC 28516, USA
ldj@duke.edu
Abstract
In recent months, two major actions have been initiated that may change the
landscape of sea turtle
conservation and potentially ignite controversy. The first action involves
an October 2001 proposal
by the National Marine Fisheries Service to substantially amend Turtle Excluder
Device regula-tions.
The extended public comment period for this proposal concluded on February
15, 2002. In
the other action, two environmental groups jointly filed a petition on January
10, 2002, to list
certain subpopulations of loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) as endangered.
Both the petition
and the proposal result from public concern and scientific evidence that current
conservation mea-sures
are not sufficient to allow recovery of some sea turtle populations, mostly
likely loggerhead
and perhaps leatherback and green turtles as well.