Leatherback turtles (Dermochelys coriacea) in the Gulf of Venezuela: an updated stranding assessment 2001-2014
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47193/mafis.3412021010305Keywords:
immature, marine turtle, strand, IUU fishing, Guajira Peninsula, southern CaribbeanAbstract
Leatherback turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) is highly impacted by fisheries’ bycatch worldwide. This study updates and estimates the leatherback turtle stranding records from 2001 to 2014 in the Gulf of Venezuela. Eighty-seven stranded leatherback turtles were documented in the coast of the Gulf of Venezuela. Immature leatherback turtles were the most affected (85.5%) and the highest number of strandings were recorded during the dry season (56.3%). Our findings represent the minimum estimate of stranding events for the Gulf of Venezuela, especially considering the current lack of fisheries regulations. This is the latest update for the leatherback turtle strandings in the Gulf of Venezuela and could help to create new management solutions in the area aiming to minimize the impact on leatherback turtle populations in the Caribbean.
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Daniela Rojas-Cañizales, Grupo de Trabajo en Tortugas Marinas del Golfo de Venezuela (GTTM-GV), Maracaibo, Venezuela - Centro de Rescate de Especies Marinas Amenazadas (CREMA), Calle 114, 1.5 km Norte, 40201, Barva, Costa Rica - Laboratorio de Ecología General, Centro de Modelado Científico (CMC), Facultad Experimental de Ciencias, Universidad del Zulia (LUZ), 4004, Maracaibo, Venezuela
Nínive Espinoza-Rodríguez, Grupo de Trabajo en Tortugas Marinas del Golfo de Venezuela (GTTM-GV), Maracaibo, Venezuela - Centro de Rescate de Especies Marinas Amenazadas (CREMA), Calle 114, 1.5 km Norte, 40201, Barva, Costa Rica
María A. Rodríguez, Grupo de Trabajo en Tortugas Marinas del Golfo de Venezuela (GTTM-GV), Maracaibo, Venezuela - Laboratorio de Ecología General, Centro de Modelado Científico (CMC), Facultad Experimental de Ciencias, Universidad del Zulia (LUZ), 4004, Maracaibo, Venezuela
Jordano Palmar, Grupo de Trabajo en Tortugas Marinas del Golfo de Venezuela (GTTM-GV), Maracaibo, Venezuela
Natalie E. Wildermann, Grupo de Trabajo en Tortugas Marinas del Golfo de Venezuela (GTTM-GV), Maracaibo, Venezuela - Laboratorio de Ecología General, Centro de Modelado Científico (CMC), Facultad Experimental de Ciencias, Universidad del Zulia (LUZ), 4004, Maracaibo, Venezuela - Texas Sea Grant at Texas A&M University, 4115 TAMU, College Station, TX 77843- 4115, USA - Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies, 6300 Ocean Dr, Corpus Christi, TX 78412, USA
Héctor Barrios-Garrido, Grupo de Trabajo en Tortugas Marinas del Golfo de Venezuela (GTTM-GV), Maracaibo, Venezuela - Laboratorio de Ecología General, Centro de Modelado Científico (CMC), Facultad Experimental de Ciencias, Universidad del Zulia (LUZ), 4004, Maracaibo, Venezuela - TropWATER, Centre for Tropical Water and Aquatic Ecosystem Research; College of Marine and Environmental Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland 4811, Australia
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Copyright (c) 2021 Daniela Rojas-Cañizales, Nínive Espinoza-Rodríguez, María A. Rodríguez, Jordano Palmar, María G. Montiel-Villalobos, Natalie E. Wildermann, Héctor Barrios-Garrido
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