Bermuda Turtle Project Has “Successful Season”
The Bermuda Turtle Project had a “very successful season,” with a record breaking 289 turtles caught during the project, assisting the project’s mission of conserving sea turtles through research and education.
The BZS newsletter said, “The Bermuda Turtle Project [BTP] are happy to report that they had a very successful season! The project took place in the 2nd and 3rd week of August and the team were out each weekday from 8am until sometimes 9pm, depending on the turtle activity in the chosen area.
“The team comprised of Jennifer Gray – the project coordinator, Drs. Anne and Peter Meylan – the project’s scientific directors, and volunteers from Aruba, Panama, Columbia, Uruguay and England.
“The project was able to set several records this season! The total number of turtles caught during the project was 289, breaking the previous record of 203. Additionally the standing record of 42 turtles caught in one day was broken three times this season, when the team caught 48, 55 and finally a whooping 58 turtles!
“That made the average number of turtles caught per set twice that of the previous record! Finally, the team landed a 15 year recapture of a turtle, making it the longest stretch of time for a recaptured turtle. This information is excellent news, when it comes to the conservation of Green Turtles in Bermuda!
“The mission of the BTP is to conserve sea turtles through research and education. For the past two decades focused research has been undertaken to provide new insights into the life history of sea turtles at a specific stage of their life cycle; the ‘benthic developmental stage’ in which juvenile turtles grow from the size of a dinner plate to nearly adult size.
“Over 3,500 green turtles have been captured, tagged and released, and the results have provided data on size frequencies, sex ratios, growth rates, genetic affinities, habitat preferences, as well as migratory routes from the island.
“Turtles tagged in Bermuda have been recovered in Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Cuba, Mexico, Dominican Republic, Grenada, St. Lucia and the U.S.”
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In reference to The Bermuda Turtle Project had been a “very successful season, with a record breaking 289 turtles caught during the project, assisting the project’s mission of conserving sea turtles through research and education.” May I recommend that there be more signs posted in these areas that the research is taken place…
This past summer, my brother in-law and I were off the beaches at Clearwater, (out on one of the Islands) about to do a bit of fishing but thank goodness a young female lifesaver did approach to inform us that these Islands are part of our Nature Reserve. I want to emphasize places such as these should be clearly defined their significance on the shore side as ell as the seaside so as boater may also be made aware of the importance of not fishing around them.
Fisheries should have slapped you with a $25,000 fine, ignorance is no excuse, signs are posted. Best thing is to turn yourself in immediately at your nearest police station, thanks for your candor.
No-one committed any crime/s…though did come close to it
By the way, you go and take a look… “about to do a bit of fishing but thank goodness a young female lifesaver did approach us to inform us that these Islands are part of our Nature Reserve.”
You actually did.
you are what is wrong with this island
Those islands have had “No Landing” signs on them for years, they may have blown away in the storms.
They/it was possibly blown away. This particular area (on the Island prior to entering beyond the gates straight off from that last beach)the gap between them 2 islands is where we’d ventured and at that time there hadn’t been any warnings. Now, as for other areas, I honestly can’t state there isn’t due to the fact we never went anywhere else…
on friday night in a few hours we counted over 30 turtles of various sizes many (around castle harbor)with a sucker fish or two on them