WWF - WWF in Suriname and the Guianas

Members of marine turtle convention reaffirm commitment to conservation

2011-06-06

Meeting achieves agreement on reducing bycatch in tuna fisheries

Parties to the Inter-American Convention for the Protection and Conservation of Sea Turtles (IAC) have signed a memorandum of understanding with the members of the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission ensuring greater cooperation for marine turtle conservation.

Unintended bycatch in commercial fishing gear is a significant threat to endangered marine turtles in the Americas. The agreement was signed at the bi-annual meeting of IAC parties, where representatives of member countries met to discuss and coordinate sea turtle conservation efforts.

IAC is a regional agreement that seeks the protection, conservation and recovery of marine turtle populations and their habitats. Member states include Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Honduras, Mexico, Netherlands, Peru, and the United States.

Two countries are new members of the IAC this year, Argentina, which is in process of ratification, and Chile. Both countries have sea turtle feeding habitats in their coastal waters. The IAC Secretariat is also working to incorporate other countries with important turtle habitats such as Trinidad and Tobago, Nicaragua, Colombia, El Salvador and Dominican Republic.

WWF and other non-governmental organizations dedicated to environmental conservation were active observers at the conference. Observers were given the opportunity to speak during the meeting and provide scientific expertise, an important contribution to furthering the convention's objectives.

"I am pleased to have participated as an observer as part of WWF's mission to build capacity in the region for turtle conservation. I hope to make recommendations to relevant authorities of the added value of Guyana and Suriname joining the IAC," said Marie Louise Felix of WWF-Guianas.

IAC parties will meet every two years to evaluate the status of marine turtle populations and their habitats, and to determine appropriate conservation measures.

French Guiana set to tackle bycatch

2010-01-31

A new law requiring French Guianese shrimp fishers to use special devices that reduce unwanted fish catch will help better protect marine turtles and other vulnerable marine species in the region.

As of Jan. 1, the country's fishing fleet under the new law now has to use a device called the Trash and Turtle Excluder Device, or TTED, to limit accidental capture of larger marine species.

Widespread use of this device, which took three years to develop, will greatly reduce bycatch among shrimp trawlers. In French Guiana, tropical shrimp fisheries represent a major source of undesired bycatch. Without a bycatch reduction device in place, shrimp represents only 10 to 30 percent of the total catch, meaning the rest is made up of other marine species.

Nearly half of the world's recorded fish catch is unused, wasted or not accounted for, according to estimates in an April scientific paper co-authored by WWF. The paper, Defining and Estimating Global Marine Fisheries Bycatch, estimated that each year at least 38 million tonnes of fish, constituting at least 40 percent of what is taken from oceans by fishing activities, is unmanaged or unused and should be considered bycatch.

The TTED is an improvement of a previous device, the Turtle Excluder Device, that consists of a rigid grill inserted at a 45 degrees angle in the trawl with an opening toward the top or bottom. NOAA has documented in research a 97 percent reduction in marine turtle captures through using the device, and additional TED studies conducted internationally have shown a reduction in large marine organism bycatch of as much as 91 percent.

After three years of trials, a prototype combining the advantages of different systems was identified. This model, the TTED, offers numerous advantages, including a 25 to 40 percent reduction of fish bycatch.

In addition, the TTED reduces sorting time and risks of injury due to sharks and rays being caught. The new gear also improves the quality of shrimps, which are less likely to be crushed in the bottom of the trawl, and may also lead to a reduction in the amount of fuel consumed by the boats.

WWF will be talking about this successful project at the upcoming Seafood Summit in Paris, France, running from Jan. 31to Feb. 2.

The TTED is the culmination of years of research. With funding provided by the European Union and the DIREN (Regional Environmental Authorities), WWF commissioned a study from IFREMER (French Research Institute for Exploitation of the Sea) to determine which selective gear was the most adapted to fishing conditions in French Guiana. These initial trials, conducted under experimental conditions, were carried out on board a shrimp trawler.

Following this work, shrimp industry's members expressed the need to continue these experiments and to become more involved in the project. In response, WWF and the CRPMEMG (French Guiana Regional Fishery and Ocean Farming Committee) began working in close collaboration in order to test and develop the best gear for the French Guiana fleet.

With technical support from NOAA and IFREMER, the CRPMEMG carried out numerous at sea trials in close collaboration with French Guiana fleets. Specific parameters where tested such as the shape and spacing between the bars of the selective grid. These trials allowed the fleets and the crews onboard the shrimp trawlers to understand the advantages of a more selective fishing gear and the benefits of using it in French Guiana.

Based on the results and the captains' recommendations, the CRPMEMG decided to make the use of this TTED system mandatory by January 2010, when the annual fishing licences are issued.

The TTED was developed by the CRPMEMG and fishermen with the assistance of NOAA, IFREMER, the French Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, Région Guyane, the European Fund for Fisheries (FEP) and the WWF.

COP 15 ¡El momento es ahora!

2009-12-08

Los líderes del mundo tienen la oportunidad única de Copenhague para actuar sobre las llamadas de esperanza de decenas de millones que piden un acuerdo justo sobre el clima, un acuerdo que pueda ayudar a salvar este planeta de una amenaza devastadora.

Todos, ricos y pobres, blancos y negros, del norte o el sur, quieren un acuerdo climático en Copenhague. No es un montón de papeles, pero el futuro de todos nosotros y las próximas generaciones lo que está en juego en Copenhague.

Hay doce días para salvar el planeta y todos debemos usarlos, especialmente aquellos que tienen el poder de tomar una decisión tienen una inmensa responsabilidad.

"La firma de un acuerdo justo, ambicioso y vinculante en Copenhague significa responder a las llamadas de decenas de millones de personas y la falta de acuerdo sobre un éste significa hacer caso omiso de ellos", dijo Kim Carstensen, líder de la Iniciativa Mundial para el Clima de WWF. "Hacer caso omiso de millones del llamado de personas vendrá con un gran precio para todo el mundo."

"La luz verde para un acuerdo climático fue dada y ahora los dirigentes tienen que dar los pasos", "Todos tenemos que recordar todos los días que no sólo estamos hablando de dinero, párrafos y enmiendas, pero de nuestras vidas, la vida de otros pueblos y la vida de nuestros hijos y nietos".

De acuerdo con WWF, los líderes del mundo tienen una valiosa oportunidad para demostrar que la política es capaz de mirar más allá de las próximas elecciones parlamentarias y las rivalidades entre partidos. Esta es la oportunidad de demostrar que la política puede ser justa y responde a las necesidades de los pueblos.

"Un acuerdo ambicioso sobre el clima ofrece una oportunidad única a los líderes para ganar la confianza de sus votantes, mostrar un verdadero liderazgo y abrir infinitas oportunidades económicas y de mercado en todo el mundo".

Los ciudadanos, los medios de comunicación, ONGs, empresas, miembros de la iglesia y la mayoría de las instituciones pertinentes han dado su apoyo y solicitado a los políticos actuar, sólo queda tomar la decisión correcta. Copenhague es el momento de actuar sobre la llamada.

El acuerdo climático a alcanzar en Copenhague debe asegurar grandes reducciones de emisiones de los países industrializados, junto con financiamiento a largo plazo, previsible y adicional, para proteger a los pobres de los efectos del cambio climático y para que puedan avanzar en un camino de desarrollo bajo carbono. El acuerdo también debe proporcionar un nuevo y ambicioso marco de acción climática para limitar las emisiones en los países en desarrollo.

Tenemos señales muy positivas con líderes como el Primer Ministro indio Dr. Manmohan Singh y el presidente de EE.UU. Barack Obama anunciando su participación en la conferencia.

"Es un gran paso que la India esté demostrando su compromiso de luchar contra el cambio climático".

"Felicitamos al Presidente a Obama por su decisión de estar en Copenhague durante lo que es probable que sea el momento crítico en las negociaciones sobre el clima de la ONU. Es evidente que esta noticia inyecta un renovado sentido de optimismo de que podemos lograr un acuerdo en Copenhague ", dijo Carstensen.

Proporcionar el apoyo financiero para ayudar a los países en desarrollo a reducir sus emisiones y hacer frente a los impactos del cambio climático es la clave para desbloquear la posibilidad de un acuerdo global.

"Estamos contentos de que el presidente Obama participará en el debate sobre el financiamiento tanto a corto como a largo plazo. Ambas son necesarias como factor decisivo para un resultado exitoso en Copenhague"

Visite http://cop15.panda.org para seguir el avance de la COP 15

Forests fundamental to effective climate deal

2009-10-25

Buenos Aires, Argentina – The world's ability to control climate change could be crippled if global leaders do not support clear and effective targets to arrest deforestation at climate talks in Copenhagen in December, WWF said at the conclusion of a key global foresty summit.

As the XIIIth World Forestry Congress finished Friday, WWF called for an ambitious and bold climate deal at Copenhagen to give clear guidance and incentives for the forestry sector to do its part in stopping catastrophic climate change and adapt to predicted changes.

"Setting immediate deforestation targets is a key component of any climate change agreement," said Rodney Taylor, Director of WWF International's Forest program.

"If the global deal on climate change ignores the dangers of unchecked deforestation, it will set the world on an accelerated path to savage climate change."

Despite conservation efforts, global deforestation continues at an alarming rate – 13 million hectares per year, or 36 football fields a minute. It generates almost 20 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions and halting forest loss has been identified as one of the most cost-effective ways to keep the world out of the danger zone of runaway climate change.

To this end, WWF during the Congress proposed a global target of zero net deforestation by 2020 to avoid runaway climate change and stop the current catastrophic trend of species loss.

"A zero net deforestation by 2020 target will set the scale and urgency needed to gather the political will to stop forest loss," Taylor said.

WWF will continue to advocate for a strong deforestation target to be included in all other relevant international treaties and agreements, including in the Convention on Biological Diversity.

In Copenhagen, negotiators need to agree to strong financial and emissions reduction commitments to craft a climate deal that enables developing countries to halt forest loss.

"WWF received strong feedback at the Congress from various sectors, including governments, other NGOs, and the private sector to support our target on deforestation," said Gerald Steindlegger, WWF International's Forest Manager on Global Policy.

Many developing countries already are adopting major deforestation policies that mirror WWF's call for zero net deforestation by 2020.

On Wednesday, government representatives from Argentina and Paraguay pledged during a special ceremony co-hosted by WWF and its partner organization Fundacion Vida Silvestre at the Congress to work towards zero net deforestation in the Atlantic Forest, and to implement a package of measures that include national legislation to enforce those commitments.

The Atlantic Forest initially spanned 500,000 square kms, shared between Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay. However, only 7.4 percent of the forest is left today – or about 35,000 square kilometers, making it one of the most threatened and fragmented subtropical forests in the world.

Meanwhile, the Brazilian government already has established a zero deforestation target by 2010 for the Atlantic Forest. Brazil also has pledged to establish protected areas covering at least 10 percent of the forest.

This year, the World Forestry Congress brought together more than 4,000 participants in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

WWF, Greenpeace y otras ONGs hacen propuesta a Ministros Iberoamericanos

2009-09-11

A menos de 90 días a Copenhague ministros de medio ambiente reciben documento "Tratado Climático a Copenhague" .

Santiago, Chile. 10 de septiembre de 2009.- El documento técnico "Tratado Climático de Copenhague" elaborado por un grupo de organizaciones no gubernamentales (ONG), entre las que se encuentran WWF y Greenpeace, fue entregado a la Ministra de Medio Ambiente de Chile, Ana Lya Uriarte, anfitriona del IX Foro Iberoamericano de Ministros de Medio Ambiente, con el fin de que ella pueda ponerlo a disposición de los ministros y autoridades regionales que se encuentran participando de este Foro, celebrado los días 9, 10 y 11 de septiembre de este año.

Ricardo Bosshard, Director de WWF Chile, Gustavo Ampugnani, Coordinador de Políticas de Greenpeace en Latinoamérica y Rodrigo Herrera, Director de Greenpeace Chile, tuvieron la oportunidad de reunirse con la Ministra chilena, minutos antes de que se inaugurara el Foro de Ministros, para entregarle los tratados y expresarle su interés de que esta información pueda ser discutida en la reunión.

El Tratado insta a los países que participan de las negociaciones del cambio climático a combinar acciones ambiciosas y urgentes sobre una propuesta que refleja una visión compartida en donde se resalta el esfuerzo internacional necesario para abordar el cambio climático y, simultáneamente, cumplir con los objetivos de desarrollo sostenible.

Esa visión expone los objetivos globales a largo plazo respecto a cuatro piedras angulares: mitigación, adaptación, tecnología y financiación, indicando que es necesario para una transición del mundo hacia una economía con cero emisiones de carbono a lo largo de las próximas décadas, incluyendo una reducción global de las emisiones de al menos el 80% en 2050 respecto a los niveles de 1990.

Por su parte, Ricardo Bosshard, Director de WWF Chile, hace un especial llamado al Gobierno de Chile, país anfitrión, para que aproveche esta oportunidad de liderar las discusiones que permitirán tomar las decisiones, difíciles pero necesarias, que permitan enfrentar los efectos negativos del cambio climático.

Son alrededor de 14 ministros y viceministros de toda Iberoamérica, los que están participando, durante estos dos días, en un encuentro que tiene como fin discutir acerca de los planes nacionales que los países están adoptando frente al cambio climático, con miras a la próxima Conferencia de la ONU sobre Cambio Climático que se realizará en diciembre en Copenhague.

Los resultados y conclusiones de esta reunión serán elevados a la consideración de los mandatarios durante el desarrollo de la XIX Cumbre Iberoamericana de Jefes de Estado y de Gobierno, que se celebrará a fines de noviembre en Portugal.

Amazon could prosper thanks to emission payments, be lost without

2009-02-10

Zeist, the Netherlands - Global payments for ecological services rendered by the Amazon such as the carbon retaining in its forests could go a long way to preserving them, a new study has found.

Keeping the Amazon forests standing: a matter of values, carried by the Copernicus Institute of the University of Utrecht on behalf of WWF, valued the avoided emissions from deforestation or degradation over large areas of the Amazon at between 55 and 78 euro per hectare per year.

These include erosion protection (up to 185 euro per hectare per year) , pollination services by rainforest insects (38 euro/$49 USD) per hectare per year in Ecuadorian coffee plantations), forest products such as honey, fruits and mushrooms (40-80 euro) and ecotourism (2.5 -5.5 Euro).

This compares to the returns from the production of commodities as beef and soya, the main Amazonian products imported by Europe. Soya generates 230 to 470 euro per hectare annually and cattle breeding adds up 40 to 115 euro per hectare per year

While the the major areas of Brazilian soya production are outside the Amazon, the economic interest for this commodity is adding to pressure in the region.

The WWF report shows that the revenue currently received from economic activities in which the natural environment remains intact is not high enough to offset the non-sustainable activities, but finding mechanisms to secure global payments for the forest's ecological services would be a major impetus to both preserving the forest and paying for and providing for proper management.

The key emerging likely mechanism as the world tackles climate change is the s so-called REDD mechanism (Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation) where industrialised countries would pay for forest preservation and the combating of CO2 emissions in tropical countries.

The plans for this mechanism allow for large money flows to become available for sustainable forest management, which will also benefit local communities such as the native population of the Amazon region.

Johan van de Gronden, General Manager of WWF-Netherlands, comments: "REDD is not the only mechanism for the realisation of sustainable forest management, but certainly the one that is the most promising.''

WWF Brazil emphasised the importance of tackling issues at the receiving end of any REDD mechanism, such as the lack of clarity concerning land ownership, the illegal occupation of land and the illegal land market.

"National and international companies should also play a role of leadership, selecting their suppliers and cleaning and decarbonizing their productive chains thus participating actively of the sustainable development of the Amazon", said Denise Hamú, CEO of WWF-Brazil.

As the fourth-largest trade partner of Brazil, the Netherlands is a major contributor to the destruction of the rainforests. For example, the country is the largest importer of soya in the world after China.

"Humans are very dependent on the services provided by the Amazon region that are disappearing rapidly but for which we are not paying as yet: rain for agriculture, clean drinking water, pure air and the combating of global warming," said Van de Gronden:

"Especially because of its large contribution to the Brazilian economy, the Netherlands can play a leading role in stimulating a sustainable economic development of the Amazon region by choosing to import sustainable produced goods – such as FSC-certified timber- only.''

WWF to closely monitor outcomes of Guiana gold mining agreement

2009-01-30

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - WWF, long a campaigner against gold mining impacts in the Amazon and Guiana shield, has committed itself to closely watching the outcome of a historic agreement on control of illegal gold miners.

The agreement, signed in Rio on 23 December last month by presidents Sarkozy of France and Lula of Brazil, promises French aid in efforts to prevent and repress rampant illegal gold mining which is devastating rivers and forests even deep inside protected areas.

The major problem is that the miners are frequently using and releasing mercury for the amalgamation of gold particles. To produce 1kg of gold the miners use at least 1kg of mercury, endangering their health and that of the local people living nearby.

Due to the naturally high content of mercury in the Amazonian soil, any additional mercury becomes an unbearable threat to human health as well as to the forest and water ecosystems. WWF estimates that each year 30 tons of mercury are discharged into the natural environment of the Guianas.

The agreement includes making criminal offences of activities such as illegal gold mining in protected zones, transport, possession, sale or disposal of mercury without authorization and trading of unprocessed gold without permission.

Illegal gold mining is one of the most serious socio-environmental problems affecting the region of the Guiana Shield, which includes northern Brazil, French Guiana, Suriname and Guyana. WWF has been working over the past two years to draw attention to the issue

Rumours of miraculous gold veins are followed by rushes of gold seekers, or "garimpeiros", between the Amazonian countries of the Guiana Shield, with rumours about causing the displacement of thousands of people from one country to another

Since the late 1990s, and with the rising price of gold, those migrations have become larger and larger. Most of the migrants are from Brazil, from where they have immigrated clandestinely.

In French Guyana more than 10,000 garimpeiros are working illegally. In Suriname and Guyana more than 30,000 garimpeiros are active in each country, most of them illegally.

Despite the recent actions to control the illegal mining launched by the French and Brazilian governments, the lack of effective trans-border cooperation failed to control these illegal operations.

"The agreement signed between France and Brazil is particularly important because it aims at reducing the heavy impact of illegal mining in protected areas located at the border of Brazil and French Guyana," said Laurent Kelle, WWF Country Manager for French Guyana.

Brazil and France have chosen to protect large portions of their territories and its Amazonian biodiversity through the Tumucumaque Mountains National Park and the Amazonian National Park in French Guyana (together more than six million hectares of Protected Areas).

But until now those parks have mostly remained violated by illegal gold mining activities. The Tumucumaque Mountains National Park is frequently pointed out as the supply base in Brazil of the illegal goldminers in the French bordering park.

"We hope that, along with other actions, this agreement will help to put an end to the illegal mining that takes place in the north of Brazilian territory, including inside the Tumucumaque Mountains National Park," said Cláudio Maretti, Conservation Director of WWF-Brazil. "This is an important measure to protect the Amazonian biodiversity and also the people living in the area."

During its last aerial survey WWF discovered many illegal sites located in the heart of the French park. Residents of Camopi, an Amerindian village situated at the border on the French Guyana side, had asked to be integrated in the heart of a protected area in order to limit their exposure to illegal gold mining problems, but they are still surrounded by illegal mining camps.

"The agreement is a step in the right direction in order to put an end to a daily ecological and human drama that undermines the Guianas, which is one of the jewels of Amazonian biodiversity," said Kelle.

WWF will follow the implementation of the agreement through aerial surveys, analysis of satellite data, work with local communities (collecting and broadcasting their evaluation and their vision of the situation), work with protected area managers (training course, exchange of experience), investigation of gold mining illegal practices and migrations and implementation of an Illegal Practices Observatory.

Vague land ownership a factor in Amazon deforestation

2008-07-04

A "fragile" land tenure system and "a scarce presence" by the State were identified as key factors in rising Amazon deforestation last week.

The diagnosis was delivered to the 3rd International Congress on Bioenergy last week by WWF-Brazil forest engineer Ana Euler, who said there was a need to re-discuss the Brazilian development model.

"In many areas of the Amazon we come across a situation in which there are various 'landowners' for the same piece of land and proof of land ownership is extremely difficult," Euler said. "In such a scenario, the populations that are more vulnerable end up being penalized."

"Indigenous peoples, extractivists and small peasants generally lose the dispute to agribusiness and other groups that deploy greater political and economic strength."

The findings draw on studies of the states of Para and Rondônia where a high incidence of land conflict and associated violence were linked to forest degradation and destruction.

Using satellite images of the state of Rondônia - one of the Amazon region's most deforested states, Ana Euler showed that protected areas are proving effective instruments for containing deforestation and conflicts resulting from land use.

"It can be noted that indigenous lands, extractive reserves, national and state forests, and other protected areas work as barriers against forest degradation," she said.

Also raised by Euler was the great influence of infrastructure projects, as hydroelectric power plants, highways, pipelines and waterways in increasing conflicts over land use and occupation in the Amazon region.

"The speculation generated by the announcement of great infrastructure construction work, as well as the lack of transparence in the project-licensing processes, has serious impacts to local biodiversity and to surrounding communities even before construction is started," she said.

WWF-Brazil is fostering the creation and implementation of protected areas and the promotion of sustainable development in the Amazon. Through providing technical and financial support to the Amazon Region Protected Areas Program (ARPA), WWF-Brazil contributed to the creation of 23 million hectares of additional protected areas between 2003 and 2008.

WWF-Brazil and its partner organizations also provide training, technical and marketing support to forest communities for sustainable income generating extraction and production activities Such arrangements strengthen civil society, support community involvement in policy making and can in part make up for a meagre presence of other government resources and services.

13 river, 5 nation river dolphin census to help conservation on two continents

2008-03-10

Santiago de Cali, Colombia: A milestone in the protection of the world's engangered river dolphins has been achieved with the successful completion of an ambitious 13 river, five nation census survey of South America's river dolphins.

The census, which took two years and recorded 3188 pink and gray dolphins in 3.600 km of rivers in the Amazon and Orinoco basins, was key to development of a standard methodology for assessing river dolphin populations and the threats they face.

"This census gives us a baseline population for these species and gives us an insight into the state of the ecosystems they inhabit," said Fernando Trujillo PhD, the project's scientific leader.

Trujillo, Scientific Director of the Omacha Foundation and winner of the Whitley Award last year for his work with river dolphins, said "These results also provide the foundation for designing an evaluation and monitoring program for South American river dolphins."

During the seven expeditions involved in the survey, training in the new methods was given to 18 professionals. The new methodology has also been certified by whale experts from the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN)

"Although the situation for river dolphins in South America is not the same as for dolphins in Cambodia, for instance, both have areas where we need to raise the alarm against threats like pollution, indiscriminate hunting and the development of infrastructure megaprojects," Trujillo said.

The survey was also notable as a highly successful exercise in co-operation. The census was financed by WWF Switzerland and WWF LAC's Freshwater Program. Scientific leadership from the Omacha Foundation included WWF (Colombia, Bolivia, Peru and Brazil), WCS (The Wildlife Conservation Society, Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia and Brazil), WDCS (Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society), La Salle Foundation (Venezuela) and Faunagua (Bolivia). The statistical reliability of the research was certified by the University of St. Andrews (Scotland) Distance Program, through Fernanda Márquez (co-author of the Distance Program and Director of WCS Brazil).

The survey also involved the co-operation of wildlife and other officials from Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Brazil and Colombia.

"This first river dolphin census has been an experience in networking, which, besides giving scientific results, has opened doors to consolidate WWF's work around the world for these charismatic species," said Saulo Usma, WWF Colombia's Freshwater Coordinator. "In April this year, we will meet in Santa Cruz de la Sierra in Bolivia, with experts from various organizations to consolidate a South American river dolphin conservation strategy, which will be published as a IUCN Occasional Paper, and adapted to each country's national action plan."

Two initial projects are likely to emerge from this meeting. One is a campaign to reduce dolphin poisoning in Caballo Cocha (Lake) in Peru, where fishermen have been injecting agricultural chemicals into fish in attempts to reduce dolphin damage to catches and nets.

Some 25-30 dolphins have been discovered dead by poisoning in the lake in the last year. Fundacion Omacha is working to monitor the situation. Possible ways of reducing fisher-dolphin conflict include increasing dolphin-related tourism income and of assisting fishers to fillet, pack and freeze fish, allowing them to receive better returns than from whole, fresh and sometimes dolphin-damaged fish.

Also contemplated is a plan to reduce unsustainable fishing for mota (catfish) using dolphin as bait on the Colombia-Brazil-Peru triple border. Mota fishing has increased markedly as fishers explore the possibility of marketing it as the more desirable but rare from overfishing Bagre catfish.

Unfortunately for Amazon River dolphins however, Mota are scavengers and dolphins represent the largest available easily caught bait fish. Fundacion Omacha and WWF are working in Brazil and Colombia not just on educating fishers but perhaps more effectively seeking to inform consumers and the retail chain on the switching of fish and its consequences for dolphin populations.

Climate change speeds up Amazon's destruction

2007-12-06

Bali, Indonesia – A vicious cycle of climate change and deforestation could wipe out or severely damage nearly 60% of the Amazon forest by 2030, says WWF.

The WWF report, The Amazon's Vicious Cycles: Drought and Fire in the Greenhouse, reveals the dramatic consequences for the local and global climate as well as the impacts on people's livelihoods in South America.

From now to 2030, deforestation in the Amazon could release 55.5 to 96.9 billion tons of CO₂. At the upper end this is more than two years of global greenhouse gas emission. In addition, the destruction of the Amazon would also do away with one of the key stabilizers of the global climate system.

"The importance of the Amazon forest for the globe's climate cannot be underplayed," says Dan Nepstad, Senior Scientist at the Woods Hole Research Center and author of the report.

"It's not only essential for cooling the world's temperature but also such a large source of freshwater that it may be enough to influence some of the great ocean currents, and on top of that it's a massive store of carbon."

Current trends in agriculture and livestock expansion, fire, drought and logging could clear or severely damage 55% of the Amazon rainforest by 2030. If, as anticipated by scientists, rainfall declines 10% in the future, then an additional 4% of the forests will be damaged by drought.

Global warming is in fact likely to reduce rainfall in the Amazon by more than 20%, especially in the eastern Amazon, and local temperatures will increase by more than 2°C, and perhaps by as much as 8°C, during the second half of the century.

With further destruction of the Amazon forests, less rainfall in India and Central America is anticipated, as would rainfall during the growing season in the grain belts of the US and Brazil.

Strategies to halt deforestation in the Amazon include minimizing the negative impacts from cattle ranching and infrastructure projects to rapidly expanding the existing network of protected areas.

"We can still stop the destruction of the Amazon, but we need the support of the rich countries," says Karen Suassuna, a climate change analyst at WWF-Brazil. "Our success in protecting the Amazon depends on how fast rich countries reduce their climate damaging emissions to slow down global warming."

Climate change is initiating and speeding up the vicious circle. Today, carbon from forest conversion to cattle pastures and agriculture in the Brazilian Amazon is seeping into the atmosphere at a rate of 0.2 to 0.3 billion tons per year. This number can double when severe drought increases forest fires. Emissions from all Amazon countries are double the figures for Brazil.

"The Kyoto Plus climate agreement must include measures to reduce emissions from forests," says Hans Verolme, Director of WWF's Global Climate Change Programme.

"A failure to protect the Amazon forest will not only be a disaster for millions of people who live in the Amazon region, but also for the stability of the world's climate."

For further information:
Brian Thomson, WWF International
+62 813 1808 5548 / bthomson@wwfint.org

Martin Hiller, WWF Global Climate Change Programme
+62 813 1875 9492 / mhiller@wwfint.org

Mariana Ramos, WWF-Brazil
+62 813 1860 2114 / marianramos@wwf.org.br

Sea turtles threatened by rising seas

2007-09-10

Climate change is warming the earth. Ice is melting and sea levels have started to rise. This causes damage, with serious consequences for nature and for coastal communities.

Scientists have now looked at the impacts of sea level rise on sea turtles. These ancient animals lay their eggs into the beach sand. Many turtle species return to the exact beaches that they were hatched to lay the eggs for the next generation of turtles.

However, sea level rise threatens beach habitat and turtle reproduction will be hard hit. To investigate the threat of climate change, a recent study examined the nesting sites of sea turtles in the Caribbean Islands under three likely sea-level rise scenarios.

The authors of this report found that with a moderate 0.5 m rise in sea level, a third of the total current beach area could be lost. Among the 13 beaches that were surveyed one particularly vulnerable beach could lose almost its entire suitable sea turtle habitat. This magnitude of beach habitat loss could literally be the point of no return for populations of already critically endangered sea turtles, such as the hawksbill turtle.

Climate change effects on marine turtles can include:

loss of nesting and feeding habitats due to sea-level rise;
increased sand temperatures, which can lead to changes in sex ratios or potentially result in mortality;
increased ocean temperatures, which can lead to coral bleaching and other damage to turtle feeding habitats;
changes in ocean currents, which can modify migrations paths and feeding patterns; and
extreme rainfall events, which can increase the potentially lethal transfer of sediment to coral reefs and raise water tables, thereby flooding nests.

WWF´s Latin America and Caribbean Programme and the Climate Change Programme are constructing a research project to quantify the impacts that climate change will have on hawksbill turtles, provide a model for assessing future climate change impacts to other marine turtle species, and begin to shape how we develop conservation strategies to protect marine turtles in the face of climate change. The first stage of this project targets the Caribbean region.

This study will identify the location and susceptibility of known hawksbill nesting areas to climate change and will provide management prescriptions to reduce the vulnerability of hawksbill turtles and increase their resilience to climate change. When completed WWF will provide tools, such as a map highlighting current nesting areas, key habitats and migration paths that are potentially threatened by sea level and temperature rise, so that managers and conservationists can prioritize their efforts. WWF is currently looking for partners to embark in this program of work.

WWF is also working across the globe to help protect hawksbill, leatherback, and other species of sea turtles and the habitats that they need to survive. They are threatened by hunting, pollution, beach development (such as coastal resorts), and by unsustainable fishing practices (for example, unintentionally catching turtles when harvesting fish). Now climate change adds an additional threat.

"As we continue to pollute our atmosphere with emissions from power plants, sea level rise increases and will drastically reduce sea turtle nesting sites," says Michael Case, WWF Climate Change Research Scientist. "Climate change could well be the long-term threat that determines whether some species of sea turtles survive or go extinct."

Will the people also be affected?

Nearly half of the world's human populations live within 200 km of coasts. Many countries rely on the environmental and economic values of coasts such as fishing, tourism, and transport. Many of the largest cities are coastal cities, for example London, New York, Shanghai and Singapore.

According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the current rate of sea level rise is 1-2 mm per year. By 2100 we could see the water rising between 90 and 880 mm. This rise in sea levels will have a number of impacts including coastal flooding, the destruction of coastal wetlands, increased erosion of beaches and other coastal land.

We can only guess how prohibitively expensive sea level rise will be.

Source:
Fish et al. 2005. Predicting the Impact of Sea-Level Rise on Caribbean Sea Turtle Nesting Habitat. Conservation Biology 19(2):482-491.

See Carlos Drews' interview with CNN en Español on September 13, 2007

WWF Statement on Barama Company Ltd's FSC Certification

2007-04-30

WWF staff visited the Barama Company Ltd (BCL) forest concession in Guyana during late February/early March 2007 to observe the company's on-the-ground response to the suspension of its Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certificate and the corresponding corrective action requests issued by SGS Qualifor in January 2007.

The WWF visit was a follow-up to the meeting between BCL, FSC and WWF held in Bonn in February 2007 to review the findings of the SGS Qualifor and Accreditation Services International audits that led to this suspension and the actions necessary by BCL to secure the reinstatement of the FSC certificate. The visit was NOT a pre-audit inspection of BCL's operations by WWF.

The visit included a limited survey of compartment 5 of the BCL concession, the Buck Hill sawmill and management centre, main field camp (km 70 sub-camp), logging crew camps, as well as three non-BCL concessions where BCL is currently conducting harvesting operations.

The main findings were as follows:

Forest management activities in Compartment 5 of the BCL concession include a solid geographic information system (GIS), well-organized harvest planning, log-tracking and road network systems, and the general application of many principles of reduced impact logging (RIL).
Average harvest rates on the BCL concession have been lower than the volumes authorized by the Guyana Forest Commission, though BCL plans to increase harvest levels in line with the annual allowable cut as determined by the Commission. However, additional emphasis is needed on the silvicultural management of those species being harvested the heaviest. Analysis is being conducted of data from permanent plots to monitor forest dynamics, which should be used to adapt forest management systems to ensure viable commercial populations of these species in the future.
While the BCL management practices on third-party concession lands observed over a limited area during this short visit appear to be following basic BCL standards regarding GIS, planning, log-tracking and road construction, RIL is not being practised on these lands. BCL indicated that the investment required to implement RIL on these third-party concessions is difficult to justify given their lack of long-term tenure i.e. these concession owners could terminate the supply contracts with BCL at any given time.
While some aspects concerning workers' living conditions, health and sanitation were being improved, others remain wanting. BCL appears, however, to have taken this issue seriously and is making many improvements since the SGS Qualifor surveillance audit of November 2006. Whether these efforts are sufficient to meet the FSC standard needs to be further assessed.
Although numerous studies and plans for a range of responsible forestry practices, particularly on environmental impact assessment (EIA) and monitoring, have been prepared over the years, these have not been fully implemented. Particular emphasis is needed to ensure effective restoration of disturbed sites such as retired log landings, erosion control on retired road networks and minimal disturbance during road construction. BCL has acquired the necessary machinery to address the road maintenance and construction issues since the SGS Qualifor surveillance audit of November 2006.
While BCL does have a detailed management plan for compartment 5, where current harvesting is focused, this is lacking for compartment 4. Since compartment 4 also falls under the scope of the suspended FSC certificate, it should be covered under the forest management plan. However, BCL indicated that there is no access currently to compartment 4 and harvesting operations are not scheduled there until 2009. Compartments 1, 2 and 3, which have been previously harvested, were not included in the scope of the original FSC certificate issued by SGS Qualifor.
BCL's multi-national and multi-cultural team has many strengths and potential. The staff's collective experience has been put to good use, especially in logistics and planning of such a large operation. However, the cultural differences, operating customs and language barriers also present a significant management challenge.
There is a lack of consistent decision-making and authority by BCL managers who truly understand the details of FSC certification and cutting-edge, modern sustainable forestry practices. High staff turnover in management, coupled with the cross-cultural challenges mentioned above, have inhibited consistent application of BCL policies. This situation has also exacerbated a breakdown in dialogue with many key stakeholders.
BCL needs to make a concerted and sustained effort to improve its internal and external communications, and to engage with Guyanese stakeholders to advance responsible forestry practices and independent certification. There was a general negative perception of BCL among many of those interviewed during this visit.

WWF has transmitted these findings to BCL. Continued WWF support to BCL towards the reinstatement of its FSC certificate will be considered in light of BCL's response to the above challenges. WWF has reiterated its call to both BCL and its parent company, Samling, to make a high-level commitment to responsible forestry according to the rigorous standards of FSC.

For more information:
Dominiek Plouvier
WWF Guianas Regional Representative, Suriname
Tel: +597 42 2357
E-mail: dplouvier@wwf.sr

Patrick Williams,
WWF Country Manager Guyana
Tel: +592 2237802
Email: pwilliams@wwf.gy

Amazon protection widens into French Guiana

2007-02-28

Cayenne, French Guiana – The creation of a new national park in this French territory in South America will significantly increase the protection of tropical forests in the Amazon, says WWF.

Vast in its own right, the 2 million-hectare Guyana Amazonian Park will link up with other protected areas in neighbouring Brazil, including the Tumucumaque National Park, Grao-Para Station and the recently declared Maicuru Reserve. Together, this cross-border protected areas network totals more than 12 million hectares, making it the world's largest expanse of tropical forest under conservation.

"We have been supporting the creation of this park for the past 15 years, so we can only be pleased by such an outcome," said Serge Orru, CEO of WWF-France.

"The park will help preserve the habitat of endangered species, such as the jaguar and the harpy eagle, which require large territories to survive. And the protection of such a large cover of tropical forest will also help reduce deforestation, which significantly contributes to climate change worldwide."

WWF, however, is concerned that territories inhabited by indigenous communities in the south-western part of the country were not included in the core protected area, but left in a 1.3 million hectare buffer zone where human activities and development will be allowed.

Any development in the buffer zone will have to fully respect the way of life of indigenous people as well as the conservation needs of the core zone, according to the global conservation organization.

"The creation of the new park is a strong commitment for the long-term conservation of French Guiana's forests," said Laurent Kelle, Head of WWF's office in French Guiana.

"But given the current situation in the field, only serious and effective cooperation with Brazil and Suriname will help tackle illegal gold mining and lead to responsible management of the whole complex of protected areas in the region."

WWF, through its regional office in the Guianas — which covers Guyana, Suriname, and French Guiana — is working in partnership with local NGOs, governmental agencies and communities to address such environmental threats.

And through the Amazon Region Protected Areas (ARPA) programme — a partnership between the Brazilian government, World Bank, Global Environment Facility, German Development Bank, Brazilian Biodiversity Fund, WWF and others — millions of additional hectares of protected areas are being created in the Amazon.

For further information:
Béatrice Jounne, Press Officer
WWF-France
Tel: +33 1 55 25 84 70
Email: bjouenne@wwf.fr

WWF Statement on Barama Company Ltd's FSC Certification in Guyana

2007-01-16

On 10 January 2007, WWF was informed by Barama Company Ltd that its Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification in Guyana was suspended by SGS-Qualifor (SGS), an independent FSC-accredited certification body, for failure to comply with certain conditions under the certificate.

WWF is deeply disappointed by Barama's failures to comply with the certification and calls upon the company to do whatever it takes to get back into full compliance with the FSC's rigorous environmental, social and economic standards.

The suspension of Barama's certification by SGS is a good example of what the FSC system was designed to do - detect and specify improvements for responsible forestry practices, of both certified producers as well as the certification bodies that conduct the field audits.

Barama was awarded FSC certification in February 2006 for 570,000 hectares of its forests in west central Guyana by SGS. WWF provided financial and technical support to Barama in the process leading up to its successful certification.

Barama's certification was contingent upon correcting several minor deficiencies, for which SGS issued "corrective action requests" (CARs). These CARs detailed mandatory improvements in Barama's performance in the areas of worker housing, hygiene and safety, road planning and several other issues. These CARs formed the basis of SGS's monitoring audit in November 2006.

During the year since Barama achieved its certification, staff from the WWF Guianas Programme Office visited the company's operations several times under an ongoing monitoring programme. WWF staff also met with Barama officials to discuss the company's adherence to responsible forest management practices mandated by the FSC standards.

During this process, it became increasingly clear to WWF that Barama did not carry out nor give priority and resources to many of the improvements the company had committed. WWF wrote to Barama's CEO in December 2006 expressing concern and urging the company's management to solve these problems immediately. Barama's CEO replied, accepting the deficiencies identified to date, and pledging to return to full compliance with the provisions of its FSC certification.

WWF is prepared to engage immediately with Barama, local forestry experts and SGS auditors to address all the deficiencies discovered during the audit SGS conducted, provided that Barama renew its commitment to certification and deliver the resources necessary to get the job done right. As such, WWF calls upon Barama to:

Make a public statement from Barama's CEO indicating the company is serious about attaining and practising responsible forestry according to the rigorous standards of FSC.
Commit to a transparent, time-bound action plan to address all the deficiencies as specified by SGS and as required to be compliant with FSC certification.

WWF is also examining its own role in this certification process, to ensure that in the future all WWF's procedures and protocols for working with companies seeking FSC certification, as outlined in its Global Forest & Trade Network (GFTN), are complied with.

WWF's GFTN provides structured and rigourous support to companies in various countries around the world. Under the GFTN, companies work closely with WWF and independent auditors and consultants and under an agreed action plan for achieving forest certification. GFTN guidelines ensure that any company receiving WWF support rigorously prepares itself for, and fully deserves, certification. Companies that fail to live up to their obligations under the GFTN are expelled.

WWF currently does not have a local Forest and Trade Network structure in the Guianas. It is, however, prepared to work with Barama in accordance with GFTN guidelines in the meantime. This would be subject to Barama preparing a suitable time-bound action plan, consistent with GFTN's requirements.

The moist forests of the Guianan Shield under Barama's management are critical in WWF's efforts to preserve the biodiversity of the greater Amazon Basin. Despite these current problems in Guyana, WWF remains committed to working with all stakeholders to ensure responsible stewardship in this critical ecosystem.

For further information:
Dominiek Plouvier
WWF Guianas Regional Representative, Suriname
Tel: +597 42 2357
Email: dplouvier@wwf.sr

Haidy Malone,
WWF Guianas Forest Coordinator
Tel: +597 42 23 57
E-mail: hmalone@wwf.sr

WWF to train gold miners in Suriname in sustainable production

2006-01-17

Paramaribo, Suriname – WWF has been awarded a grant by the Inter-American Development Bank to set up a national gold mining association in Suriname and to train thousands of gold miners in new and environment-friendly mining techniques.

The US$100,000 award, together with US$50,000 from WWF, will help organize the country's small-scale gold mining sector through the establishment of the Suriname Gold Miners Association (SGMA), and to regulate production practices of about 12,000 miners, including the implementation of a code of mining conduct.

Most small-scale miners in the South American nation of Suriname use mercury to separate gold from other minerals in the excavation process. Dumped into rivers and streams, mercury can cause irreparable ecological and health damages.

"We want to make these miners aware that there are methods of mining which will benefit them and the environment," said Jerrel Pinas with the WWF Guianas regional programme office based in Suriname.

"Hopefully, the miners will be persuaded to switch to more environment-friendly methods such as using mechanical means to extract the gold or replacing mercury with less harmful chemicals."

The small-scale gold mining sector in Suriname contributes about 13 per cent, or US$168.1 million, of GDP and employs about 12,000. It is also the major source of employment and income for large numbers of indigenous communities, such as Maroons and Amerindians.

The main objective of the WWF project is to promote the overall competitiveness of Suriname's mining sector and its financial sustainability. The 18-month WWF training project, which is due to begin in March 2006, will not only focus on organizing the small-scale gold mining sector, but will include participation from the country's 240 holders of large gold mining concessions.

For further information:
Jerrel Pinas, Communications Officer
WWF Guianas Regional Program Office
E-mail: jdpinas@wwf.sr

Circle hooks help save sea turtles in Ecuador

2005-06-23

Results from the first large-scale testing of specially designed fishing hooks show that the use of circle hooks can reduce the number of endangered sea turtles killed in long line fishing operations by as much as 90 per cent, said WWF.

The results from the one year research project, which involved 115 fishing vessels in Ecuador, were presented at the annual meeting of the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission in Lanzarotte, Spain.

Incidental death – as a result of traditional longline fishing operations – is one of the main reasons for the decline of loggerhead, and giant leatherback turtles, whose numbers in the Eastern Pacific have plunged by more than 90 per cent over the past 20 years.

The results of the study found "bycatch" was dramatically reduced when the boats replaced their traditional "J" shaped hooks with specially designed circle hooks.

"This is a win-win situation. We were looking for a way to save the turtles without putting the fishermen out of business," said Moises Mug, Fisheries Coordinator for WWF's Latin America and Caribbean programme.

"The preliminary results indicate we've found it. Circle hooks seem to be an effective new tool in our efforts to address this urgent conservation problem."

Over the past year, Ecuador's tuna and mahi-mahi fisheries each tested one large and one small circle hook. Larger devices reduced the number of sea turtles that got hooked by 88 per cent in the tuna fishery and 37 per cent in the mahi-mahi fishery. The smaller hooks proved less effective, but still reduced bycatch rates by 44 and 16 per cent, respectively.

With the survival rate for hooked turtles factored into the results, researchers estimated that the circle hooks reduced sea turtle mortality by 63 to 93 per cent in the tuna fishery and 41 to 93 per cent in the mahi-mahi fishery, depending on the size of the hook used.

Also encouraging was that catch rates for tuna were almost identical regardless of whether circle or J hooks were used. The catch rate was lower in the mahi-mahi fishery, however, and researchers said further refinement of fishing gear and better training of fishermen would be needed to close the gap.

NOTES:

• WWF is now conducting or supporting turtle conservation work in 45 countries and is engaged in every major international turtle conservation policy discussion underway. In the eastern Pacific, WWF has a long history of constructive engagement in the bycatch reduction work of IATTC, and is now formally represented on the Commission. In the western Pacific, WWF has helped shape the new Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission policies, which will be important in reducing turtle bycatch in longline fisheries.

• Scientists estimate that as many as 200,000 loggerheads and 50,000 leatherbacks are caught annually by commercial longline tuna, swordfish, and other fisheries.

For more information:
Monica Echeverria, Communications Coordinator
WWF Latin America and the Caribbean Programme
Tel: +1 202 778 9626
E-mail: monica.echeverria@wwfus.org

Marine turtles: Facing danger at every turn

2005-04-20

by Carlos Drews

This lecture was adapted from a presentation detailing WWF's Latin America and Caribbean Marine Turtle Conservation and Action Plan.

Most experts recognize seven species of marine turtles: the green, hawksbill, loggerhead, Kemp's ridley, olive ridley, leatherback, and flatback. All but one - the flatback - can be found in the Latin American and Caribbean region, and all are threatened by extinction.

Both human induced and natural factors present challenges to the survival of sea turtles. These highly migratory, unique reptiles spend their life at the coast and off shore, combining terrestrial and aquatic habitat requirements - depending on their needs at particular life stages - that often span the political limits of several nations. Marine turtles require several decades to reach sexual maturity and are potentially long lived, dispersing and migrating over vast areas.

The huge size of individual home ranges and the vast area requirements of marine turtles during their life cycle are unusual for existing reptiles. Consequently, marine turtle conservation actions must be sustained over decades, carried out over vast areas, be relevant to diverse marine and terrestrial environments, and involve international cooperation.

The causes of decline and the present and future threats to marine turtles are diverse. Three realms, however, have been recognized as main threats to marine turtles worldwide: habitat destruction and alteration, overexploitation for meat, hides, eggs and shells, and incidental capture in fisheries. Currently, human induced mortality is having a greater impact on marine turtle populations than natural mortality.

Under natural conditions, turtles suffer high hatchling, post-hatchling and juvenile mortality, but those that survive the early days grow into long-lived animals with very low adult mortality. Unfortunately, conditions nowadays are far from "natural" and turtles suffer mortality at all stages of their life cycle, leading to increasingly regular population crashes.

The number of female leatherbacks nesting on the Pacific beaches of Mexico has declined more than tenfold in less than a decade; the number of nesting loggerheads in eastern Australia has declined by 50 to 80% since the mid-1970s; Kemp's ridley nearly went extinct. The list goes on, and makes depressing reading.

The causes of the population declines are many and varied, but have their roots in two basic characteristics of turtle biology which render populations particularly vulnerable to the pressures described above: (1) reproduction is highly localized in beaches allowing easy access to eggs and nesting females, and rendering this critical habitat vulnerable to alteration through coastal development, and (2) their slow maturation hides the effect of overexploitation for decades.

Turtle populations can be destroyed from the "bottom up" by over-exploitation of the eggs, and destruction of nesting sites. For example, as far as we know, green turtles take 30 to 50 years to reach sexual maturity and remain reproductive for about 20 years. Adults are the visible component of a turtle population; their numbers are maintained by the gradual maturation of juvenile and sub-adult turtles. This will continue to happen, even if no eggs are laid or if all the eggs are collected.

It will be many decades before the number of adults begins to decline, but over time the reservoir of juveniles and sub-adults will become progressively depleted until there are no more recruits. These "last adults" will, in theory, survive for another 20 years during which time the situation may not seem too serious. In reality, however, the population is on the verge of extinction because once these adults die there will be no hatchlings, juveniles or sub-adults to replace them. If juvenile and adults are being killed, e.g. as bycatch, then this will simply happen more quickly.

The design of effective management and conservation strategies - particularly on a regional scale - is challenged by a number of factors, including gaps in the knowledge about marine turtle life history patterns and the actual conservation status of some of these turtle populations; a lack of understanding of current levels of exploitation and trade and the effects these are having on particular species or populations; and the unregulated and unmanaged nature of turtle catches and trade.

Over the next 10 years, the goal of WWF's global efforts is the reduction of threats to marine turtles from the loss and degradation of their critical habitats, from the impacts of unsustainable use, and from incidental capture (by-catch).

Based in the Central America program office, Carlos Drews is WWF's Latin America and Caribbean marine turtle coordinator. A native of Colombia, he has a Ph.D. in Zoology from Cambridge University.

:::Video:::
Tracks: an unsual challenge for marine turtle hatchlings

2005-04-20

Sea turtles are endangered.

The main threats are incidental mortality in fishers' nets and hooks, destruction of nesting beaches and feeding habitats, and overexploitation for eggs, meat and shells.

Natural predators take an additional toll, particularly on eggs and hatchlings.

Only about 1 in a 1000 make it to adulthood.

On some beaches, turtle hatchlings face an additional challenge: climbing across vehicle tracks.

Many do not succeed and walk along these deadly traps, failing to find a way out to the sea.

This 3.5 minute video shows these loggerhead hatchlings struggling to cross a vehicle track on a beach in Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa. (Flash download version also available 7.7MB)

The conservation implications of allowing vehicle traffic on nesting beaches are a concern for WWF´s marine turtle programme.

Production, footage and editing: Carlos Drews - WWF Marine Turtle Coordinator for LAC

Date of filming: 6th February, 2005

Location: Bangha Nek, Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa

Species: Loggerheads (Caretta caretta)

Format: MPEG 4 (readable with Mac)

Duration: 3 min 24 sec

Date of release: 2 April 2005

Soundtrack: no narration, original sound

Note: the video sequence includes footage of hawksbill turtles hatching (filmed in Costa Rica). All shots of hatchlings walking portrait loggerheads in Kwazulu-Natal.

Marine Turtles: Worth more alive than dead

2004-05-25

The study – the first to assess the economic value of sea turtles on a global scale – compared the revenue generated from killing turtles or collecting their eggs with that generated from tourism at a total of 18 sites in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean.

At nine sites, where turtles are used for their meat, eggs, and shells, the average annual income from these products was $582,000 whereas at nine locations where turtles are a tourist attraction, the average annual income was nearly three times higher at US $1.65 million.

At the biggest and most established site in Tortuguero National Park in Costa Rica, marine turtle tourism brought in US$6.7 million annually.

Since this type of ecotourism began in the late 1980's it has become increasingly popular. Currently some 175,000 people take sea turtle tours annually to more than 90 sites in more than 40 countries.

"This study confirms what we've suspected all along -- sea turtles are worth more to local communities alive than dead, " said Carlos Drews, WWF's regional coordinator for marine turtle conservation in Latin America and the Caribbean.

"Developers, politicians and community leaders should start to see marine turtles as a valuable asset, generating revenue and jobs. Tourism and turtle protection may in fact increase their economic value."

Turtle populations are in steep decline in many areas, as nesting beaches are converted to holiday resorts, turtles and their eggs are over-harvested for food and turtles are accidentally caught and killed in fishing nets.

Six of the world's seven marine turtle species are endangered or critically endangered. The WWF researchers found that sea turtle populations were declining in areas where they are exploited and rising or stable where they are not.

"The continued decline of sea turtle populations will have serious economic consequences, particularly for coastal communities in developing countries, said Dr Susan Lieberman, Director WWF's global Species Programme.

"This important new study shows that in addition to benefiting the species themselves, investments in their conservation are also investments in people and their livelihoods.

Notes:
WWF analyzed nine case studies of consumptive use, which include examples of use for meat, shell, eggs, bone and leather in countries bordering the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans.

Gross revenue from these sites range from US$158 to US$1,701,328.

The median revenue was US$264,091 and the average annual income from these products was US$582,000.

WWF analyzed nine case study sites of non-consumptive marine turtle use which were major generators of revenue.

The lowest annual revenue was US$41,000 and the highest US$6.7 million.

The median was US$975,044 and the average US$1.6 million.

The revenue from the non-consumptive sites ie those where turtles are a major tourist attraction includes all expenditure (food, accommodation, souvenirs, transport and other costs) incurred by tourists during their time at the turtle watching location.

Three of the seven existing species of marine turtle are critically endangered with extinction, three are endangered and due to insufficient information the status of the seventh species remains unknown.

All marine turtle species are currently listed on Appendix I of CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) prohibiting any international commercial trade by more than the 160 signatory countries.

Even so, trade between non-signatory countries and illegal trade persist. In addition to projects aimed at discouraging the consumptive use of turtles, WWF is also working worldwide to reduce the unintended catch of turtles by fishermen.

WWF supports projects on sea turtles in 40 countries worldwide. WWF supports the use of technologies such as turtle excluder devices (TEDS) on trawl nets, and new hooks (Circle hooks, not "J" hooks) which can significantly reduce the accidental catch of turtles and their deaths by drowning from fishing in many parts of the world.

Massive die-off of endangered turtles in the Guianas

2001-08-20

PARAMARIBO, Suriname - Following the massive die-off of leatherback turtles in the Guianas, one of the most important nesting areas for marine turtles in the world, WWF, the conservation organization, today called on the governments of the region to strengthen fisheries legislation and enforcement.

According to WWF, hundreds of leatherback turtles have died during the current nesting season, which lasts until the end of this month. These high mortality rates are most likely linked to increased fishing activities near nesting beaches. Leatherbacks, and other turtles, get entangled in the nets, and drown, or are wounded when fishers try to save their nets by cutting out the turtles. Therefore, urgent protection measures are needed out at sea and not only on the beaches, WWF said.

Last April alone, the number of dead leatherbacks found on the beaches of French Guiana reached 11 a day. And while patrolling at sea in June, a WWF team found 12 entangled leatherbacks in a single net. Only one was still alive, and was released. According to WWF, nightly patrols also found many wounded leatherbacks, some with cuts and scars.

"Turtle mortality along the Guianas Coast has seriously increased in recent years," confirmed Arnoud Schouten, WWF-Guianas' Marine Turtle Coordinator. "High numbers of turtles are being caught in the nets of fishing boats in the area, some of them operating illegally."

In the Guianas, fishing regulations and their enforcement vary by country. Although turtle excluder devices are mandatory in Suriname and Guyana, WWF said both legislation and enforcement range from inadequate to severely inadequate in terms of turtle protection. While welcoming the steps taken by the national governments of the area to assist the conservation agencies and institutions in patrolling the waters near the nesting beaches, WWF is urging them to strengthen and support these efforts by developing sound and appropriate legislation, with the active participation of the fishers communities and the conservation institutions.

Up to fifty percent of the world population of leatherback turtles nest on the beaches of the Guianas, one of the few places on the globe still with a large population of this species. In the past, conservation efforts focused mainly on onshore protection of the turtles. Activities included monitoring and patrolling of beaches and environmental awareness for local communities. To face the new threats, WWF also supports the use of advanced technology such as satellite tracking of leatherbacks to better identify crucial habitats for sea turtles. Tagging techniques have been used for the last two years by scientists in Suriname, Guyana and French Guiana to monitor leatherback populations.

"Leatherback numbers in the Pacific have plummeted in the last twenty years," Arnoud Schouten added. "Models predict that Atlantic populations may also decline, unless strong measures are taken to halt the escalating mortality rates from pollution, disease and accidental catch in the fishing nets."

For further information:
Arnoud Schouten, WWF-Guianas' Marine Turtle Coordinator, e-mail: aschouten@wwfsuriname.net