Posted on May, 30 2007

In order to better ensure the protection of sea turtles, the Research Institute for Marine Fisheries (RIMF) and the WWF Vietnam Country Programme have launched a two-stage project entitled Improving the Knowledge Base and Identifying Management Options for the Reduction of Sea Turtle Interactions in Vietnamese Fisheries, with support from the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and WWF International.

The project is divided into two phases. Phase I (recently completed) identifies geographic “hotspots” and documents the relative impacts of different gear types with respect to sea turtle mortality inside Vietnamese waters. Phase II will use this information to implement a first-of-its-kind Observer Programme in the long-line fleet, in which observer teams will follow fishing boats in three Vietnamese provinces to their fishing grounds, to obtain data on their operations and reaction to sea turtle by-catch.

The Phase I report, Preliminary Assessment of Hotspots and Recommended Next Steps for Onboard Fisheries Observer Programme, provides a quantitative estimate of the impact of selected offshore and inshore coastal fisheries on sea turtles.

Comprehensive data pertinent to the fishery hotspots in Vietnam has been generated, together with data on interactions with sea turtles. With this work, the knowledge base for general geographic areas and/or fishing fleets with the highest sea turtle by-catch has been significant expanded, ensuring that by-catch reduction efforts can be strategically targeted and planned.

Additionally, the full participation of key fishing community members has helped ensure that the project is ultimately successful - in recognizing the critical need for any by-catch mitigation effort to be centred upon community involvement, and with a view to capacity building for local change agencies.

Looking forward into the future, once the Observer Programme is completed, an experimental design will be developed for gear replacement trials, such as circle hooks, which reduce sea turtle mortality. Furthermore, while the Observer Programme will focus on long-line fisheries, a Management Options Paper will be developed for gillnet fisheries - relying heavily on the RIMF-WWF research.

For further information:
Keith Symington, Marine Programme Coordinator
WWF Vietnam
keith.symington@wwfgreatermekong.org

Nguyen Thi Dieu Thuy, Marine Programme Officer
WWF Vietnam
thuy.nguyendieu@wwfgreatermekong.org