Current status
The five (of the seven) species of marine turtle to have been recorded in UK waters are leatherback turtle Dermochelys coriacea, loggerhead turtle Caretta caretta, Kemp's ridley turtle Lepidochelys kempii, green turtle Chelonia mydas and hawksbill turtle Eretmochelys imbricata. However, there is some doubt as to whether reports of hawksbills can be confirmed.
Over the last 100 years there have been around 500 records of marine turtles from UK waters, particularly along the western coast, the large majority of those which can be identified being adult leatherbacks. The majority of these records are from the last 40 years and sightings are continuing to increase. In addition, large numbers of turtles are seen in waters above the shelf break in the Celtic Sea. Adult leatherbacks are regularly recorded in cool temperate waters around the world. They are endothermic and able to cope with cool water conditions, unlike the cheloniid or 'hard-shelled' species.
In UK waters the leatherback has a distinct, seasonal occurrence with the majority of sightings being recorded between August and October. It is likely that those individuals recorded around the UK follow the great oceanic gyre of the north Atlantic, travelling from and returning to the nesting beaches of the tropical and sub-tropical regions of the eastern American mainland coast and Caribbean islands. Although the cheloniid species are believed to arrive in UK waters accidentally (with the possible exception of the loggerhead which may be at the extreme limit of its range), the occurrence of the leatherback is almost certainly the result of a deliberate, migratory movement.
The conservation status of turtle species around the whole UK is unknown since they are a difficult group of animals to study. The numbers of reported sightings has gone up over recent years but this is likely to be a result of increased publicity and improved rates of record submission. They are all regarded as threatened at a global level.
All five species are listed on Appendix I of the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Flora and Fauna (CITES) 1975, Appendix II of the Bern Convention 1979, Appendices I and II of the Bonn Convention 1979 and Annex IV of the EC Habitats Directive. The loggerhead is also listed as a priority species on Annex II of the EC Habitats Directive. All five species are protected under Schedule 5 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and the Conservation (Natural Habitats & c.) Regulations 1994.
Although some species forage in temperate waters, nesting is restricted to beaches of tropical and subtropical waters. Some species of marine turtle have global distributions and their conservation has to be addressed at a global level. Many of the UK Overseas Territories have important nesting populations.
Current factors causing loss or decline
Over-harvesting of turtles for meat or eggs abroad, mainly in the vicinity of nesting areas in tropical and sub-tropical regions. This is the major cause of decline in the waters of UK Overseas Territories.
Detrimental impacts of the tourist industry (such as the construction of tourist developments along egg-laying beaches, the purchase of curios made from turtle products) and other development pressures on turtle populations abroad.
Collisions between turtles and boats and damage caused by propellers.
Incidental capture and drowning of turtles resulting from a range of fishery practices and detrimental impacts of trawling techniques on
seagrass beds.
Pollution, particularly marine debris which can be ingested by turtles at sea or which cause obstructions on beaches to nesting females and hatchlings.
Predation on eggs by various species may be increasingly significant on beaches where predator numbers may be increased or concentrated through human activities.
Disease is a major cause of decline for the green turtle.
Current action
Legislative measures are in place to protect marine turtles in British waters (but not in Northern Ireland waters) and to control illegal trade (see 1.5). The International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships 1973, modified by the Protocol of 1978 (?MARPOL 73/78?), includes regulations in Annex V for the prevention of pollution by garbage from ships.
A 'Turtle Code' advice sheet was produced by the Nature Conservancy Council in 1988, aimed at fishing industry and providing advice on identification, legislation, record submission and dealing with entanglements.
Revised and bi-lingual 'Turtle Codes' were produced by SNH in 1996 and CCW in 1998. A 'Turtle Code' was also produced by the Cornish Wildlife Trust in 1997.
A review of marine turtle records from Scottish waters was produced by SNH in 1996.
An 'Information and Advisory Note' on dealing with live, stranded or entangled marine turtles was produced by SNH in 1997.
The support of autopsies and biological material distribution has been undertaken on an ad hoc basis. SNH has funded five autopsies undertaken by SAC Veterinary Services between 1994-97. CCW has also provided funds to ensure marine turtles are covered through the cetacean stranding scheme.
Marine turtle conservation issues in the UK have been publicised recently through the media, scientific conferences, wildlife group meetings and the production of scientific and popular articles.
Proposed actions with lead agencies
Policy and legislation
Continue the duty on sea fisheries regulators to take account of potential wider impacts on wildlife and habitats (in addition to target species) when deciding fishery management measures, including during discussions with relevant EC bodies. (ACTION: DANI, DETR, MAFF, NAW, SE, SFCs)
Seek to improve coastal water quality, in particular by reducing marine debris which may be ingested by marine turtles. (ACTION: DANI, DETR, EA, MAFF, NAW, SE, SEPA)
Consider, in light of research proposed in action 5.5.3, the need to monitor and control certain fishery practices, possibly at local levels. (ACTION: DANI, MAFF, NAW, SE, SFCs)
Review current levels and effectiveness of legislative protection of marine turtles in all UK waters, particularly Northern Ireland, and all the UK Overseas Territories, and ensure appropriate protection measures are brought in where gaps are identified by 2005. (ACTION: DETR, EHS, FCO)
Review the value of the Bonn Convention in providing further protective measures for marine turtles by 2004. (ACTION: DETR, JNCC)
Provide support, in the form of advice, information sharing, and assistance to build capacity and resist detrimental development, to UK Overseas Territories in order to facilitate the conservation of their marine turtle populations at viable and sustainable levels. (ACTION: DfID, FCO)
Promote consideration of the impact of EU funded development and activities on marine turtle habitats, in particular on nesting beaches (especially tourist developments affecting southern European nesting beaches), through advice, legislation and requirements for appropriate environmental impact assessments. (ACTION: DETR, DTI, FCO)
Promote consideration of the impact of UK based investments, industries, trade and activities on marine turtle habitats, in particular nesting beaches, through advice, legislation and guidance on environmental impact assessments. (ACTION: DETR, DTI)
Site safeguard and management
Ensure enforcement of marine pollution legislation (including that targeted at marine litter) in UK waters and by UK ships outwith UK waters. (ACTION: DETR, DTI, MoD)
Species management and protection
For those parts of the UK which have not already done so, produce revised ‘turtle codes’ by 2001, and distribute widely amongst the sea-going community through contact with appropriate organisations. (ACTION: EHS, NE)
Introduce a code of practice for the ‘repatriation’, where necessary, of cheloniid turtle species which are occasionally stranded live on UK shores by 2002. (ACTION: CCW, EHS, NE, JNCC, SNH)
Advisory
Provide advice to the fishing industry by 2004 with the aim of reducing and avoiding by-catches in active and passive gear, dealing with turtle entanglements and on disposing of discarded gear safely. (ACTION: DANI, MAFF, NAW, SE)
Produce and disseminate information (which could be based on the SNH advice note) for conservation agencies, veterinary surgeries, relevant public bodies and other organisations, to help them deal with enquiries relating to stranded marine turtles by 2001. (ACTION: CCW, EHS, NE, SNH)
Future Research and Monitoring
Set up a central UK database for marine turtle records by 2002. (ACTION: JNCC)
Pass on all records to the central UK database and ensure marine survey projects (eg by-catch surveys, seabirds at sea surveys) record and submit any marine turtle information. (ACTION: CCW, DANI, EHS, NE, JNCC, MAFF, NAW, SE, SNH)
Encourage projects involved with the study of by-catch to include assessments of impacts on marine turtle populations. (ACTION: CCW, DANI, EHS, NE, JNCC, MAFF, SE, SNH, NAW)
Seek to minimise any by-catch of marine turtles by promoting research into fishing gear and other possible mechanisms, in conjunction with similar work proposed for other marine species. (ACTION: DANI, MAFF, NAW, SE)
Establish and support by 2004 a system for undertaking autopsies on dead turtle specimens and distributing biological material to specialists, including those working abroad, in order to determine causes of death, to improve knowledge of marine turtle biology and the threats to turtles in UK waters. (ACTION: CCW, DETR, EHS, NE, JNCC, SNH)
Further promote a system for undertaking surveillance of marine turtles in UK waters and reporting results. (ACTION: CCW, DANI, DETR, NE, EHS, JNCC, MAFF, NAW, SE, SNH)
Further promote a system for monitoring and reporting incidental capture and killing of marine turtles. (ACTION: CCW, DANI, DETR, NE, EHS, JNCC, MAFF, NAW, SE, SNH)
Encourage and support projects which add to knowledge and understanding of the biology of turtles and the threats they face, when in UK waters. (ACTION: CCW, EHS, NE, JNCC, NERC, SNH)
Consider contributing to marine turtle conservation activities of British Overseas Territories through the support of data gathering, collation and exchange. (ACTION: DETR, FCO, NHM)
Communications and Publicity
Encourage the submission of old and new records of living, entangled or dead stranded turtles through appropriate publications and the media. (ACTION: CCW, EHS, NE, JNCC, NHM, SNH)
Publicise marine turtle conservation issues, in particular raising awareness of how the UK public and tour operators may have impacts on turtle populations overseas. (ACTION: CCW, DETR, DTI, EHS, NE, FCO, HMCE, JNCC, SNH)
Promote the need of global conservation through local action using these truly transglobal species as champions. (ACTION: CCW, DETR, DTI, EHS, NE, FCO, JNCC, SNH)
Links with other action plans
None given.