Response indicators

Nest protection and release of marine turtle hatchlings in Mexican beaches

The protection and conservation of the seven marine turtle species nesting on Mexican beaches is carried out by governmental and nongovernmental institutions, education and research centers, as well as by the private sector, particularly in turtle camps (Semarnap- INE, 2000; Semarnat-Profepa, 2008). The first permanent camps were established in 1991 under the Program for the Protection, Conservation, Study and Management of Marine Turtles launched by the National Fisheries Institute. The program’s main actions included the collection and relocation of nests and eggs, as well as placing eggs in hatcheries and hatchlings release. The Number of marine turtle hatchlings released at turtle camps shows the success of one of the main actions carried out to protect and preserve marine turtles. As data are only available for turtle camps run by the Ministry of the Environment (Semarnat), this indicator is an underestimate of the country’s efforts aimed at the conservation of marine turtles. There are at least 70 other camps run by non-governmental organizations, education and research centers as well as by the private sector, which also carry out activities aimed at the conservation of marine turtles; however, data on their performance are insufficient for them to be included in this indicator.

Protection from bycatch by the shrimp fleet

Mexico has implemented a number of efforts to prevent or reduce marine turtle mortality due to bycatch. One of the major efforts in this regard has been the implementation of the so-called Turtle Excluder Devices (TEDs), first in 1993, on ships of the Gulf of Mexico shrimp fleet and, in 1996, on ships operating in the Caribbean and the Pacific. The species most benefited from this initiative are those inhabiting the Gulf of Mexico (the white turtle, Chelonia mydas, and Kemp's ridley, Lepidochelys kempii; CITES, 2001). TEDs consist of a device fitted to the mouth of the shrimp trawl bag that allows turtles caught to escape (Conabio, 1995; INP, 2001; Semarnat-Profepa, 2008). However, these devices do not prevent the death of all the animals caught. The U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) estimates that TEDs have reduced the annual mortality rate of marine turtles caught in trawl nets in U.S. waters by about 67% since their implementation in 1998. The indicator Number of shrimp ships fitted with certified turtle excluder devices (TEDs) denotes the efforts made to reduce the impact that shrimp fishing can impose on marine turtle populations that inhabit or migrate into Mexican seas.

Verification of turtle excluder devices

As part of the efforts to protect and preserve the country’s marine fauna, inspection and surveillance actions aimed to enforce compliance with the fisheries’ environmental regulations are carried out by Profepa. These activities intend to protect the economically important fish species but also other species, including marine turtles. Compliance with the use of Turtle Excluder Devices (TEDs) is an important factor in the maintenance and recovery of marine turtle populations, particularly for the loggerhead and Kemp's ridley turtles (Lewison et al., 2003). The indicator Verification of turtle excluder devices (TEDs) denotes the protection efforts made for the conservation of these reptile species.

Federal marine protected areas adopted for the protection of sea turtles

The establishment of protected natural areas (PNA) is one of the environmental policy conservation strategies most often used (UICN and PNUMA, 1990). The main purpose of protected natural areas is the protection of flora, fauna and natural resources of special importance as well as ecosystems representative of a region or country. In 1986, a decree was issued by which the 17 Mexican beaches considered as most critical for the conservation of marine turtles were designated as reserve and shelter areas (DOF, 1986). Sixteen of those beaches are now catalogued as Sanctuaries, part of Conanp’s Protected Natural Areas (Medellín et al., 2009). The establishment of protected areas directly reflects the measures taken by governments to protect biodiversity and the natural resources and services it supplies (GESAMP, 1995; UNCSD, 2001). The indicator Federal protected areas established for the protection of marine turtles (or explicitly including the protection of marine turtles as one of their objectives) denotes the Mexican government’s efforts to protect and preserve these species. This indicator has often been used by international organizations (e. g., ONU, 2007; OCDE, 2008; FMI and BM, 2009) and environmental ministries of many countries, including Mexico, to evaluate biodiversity protection efforts, which in this case specifically refer to marine turtle species.