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Sea Turtle Ecology and Population Dynamics in the Northeast

Sea turtle ecology research at the Northeast Fisheries Science Center

New England/Mid-Atlantic

Table of Contents

loggerhead turtle swims near the water's surface

Loggerhead turtle near the water surface. Credit: NOAA Fisheries/Coonamessett Farm Foundation

Science for Conservation

We study sea turtle species that live in the Greater Atlantic Region. This includes loggerhead, leatherback, Kemp’s ridley, and green sea turtles—all of which are protected under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. Our research is guided by a recovery plan for each turtle species, and conducted in collaboration with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, to inform our management decisions for sea turtle conservation. We survey sea turtles and conduct other focused studies to gain valuable biological and ecological information and a better understanding of sea turtle life history and ecology, natural and human-caused threats, and turtle populations dynamics in the Northwest Atlantic Ocean.

applying a satellite tag to loggerhead turtle

Applying a satellite tag to a loggerhead turtle. Credit: NOAA Fisheries

Research Areas

Our primary goal is to better understand, assess, and monitor sea turtle populations in the Greater Atlantic Region to support management needs and species recovery goals, as mandated through the Endangered Species Act and other federal statutes.

We study sea turtle populations by:

  • Conducting cutting-edge field research
  • Designing models of fisheries, environmental, and behavioral data
  • Providing data streams, research infrastructure, and scientific leadership
  • Partnering with federal, state, and non-governmental organizations

Our research includes a variety of topics, including :

  • Fisheries impacts
  • Density and distribution
  • Movement and habitat use
  • Climate change effects on turtle populations and their habitats
  • Genetic diversity and stock structure
  • Physiology and resource requirements

Release loggerhead with tag attached.

A satellite tagged loggerhead being released. Credit: NOAA Fisheries

News, Outreach, Data, and Publications

News

Cruise Blogs

Data

Publications

Crowe, LM, JM Hatch, SH Patel, RJ Smolowitz, and HL Haas. 2020. Riders on the storm: loggerhead sea turtles detect and respond to a major hurricane in the Northwest Atlantic Ocean. Movement Ecology 8. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40462-020-00218-6

Yang, T, HL Haas, S Patel, R Smolowitz, MC James, and A Williard. 2019. Blood biochemistry and hematology of migrating loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta) in the Northwest Atlantic: Reference intervals and intrapopulation comparisons. Conservation Physiology 7: coy079. https://doi.org/10.1093/conphys/coy079

KR Stewart, EL LaCasella, MP Jensen, S Epperly Chester, HL Haas, L Stokes, and PH Dutton. 2019. Using mixed stock analysis to assess source populations for at-sea bycaught juvenile and adult loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta) in the north-west Atlantic. Fish and Fisheries 20:239–254. https://doi.org/10.1111/faf.12336.

Patel, SH, SG Barco, LM Crowe, JP Manning, E Matzen, RJ Smolowitz, and HL Haas. 2018. Loggerhead turtles are good ocean-observers in stratified mid-latitude regions. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science 213:128–136. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecss.2018.08.019

Winton, MV, G. Fay, HL Haas, M Arendt, S.,Barco, MC James, C Sasso, and R. Smolowitz. 2018. Estimating the distribution and relative density of satellite-tagged loggerhead sea turtles in the western North Atlantic using geostatistical mixed effects models. Marine Ecology Progress Series 586:217–232. https://doi.org/10.3354/meps12396

Warden, ML, HL Haas, PM Richards, KA Rose, and JM Hatch. 2017. Monitoring trends in sea turtle populations: walk or fly? Endangered Species Research 34:323–337. https://doi.org/10.3354/esr00855

Patel, SH, KL Dodge, HL Haas, and RJ Smolowitz. 2016. Videography reveals in-water behavior of loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta) at a foraging ground. Frontiers in Marine Science 3: 254. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2016.00254

Murray, KT. 2015. Estimated loggerhead (Caretta caretta) interactions in the Mid-Atlantic scallop dredge fishery, 2009–2014. Northeast Fish Sci Cent Ref Doc 15-20. 22 pp.

Warden, ML., HL Haas, KA Rose, and PM Richards. 2015. A spatially explicit population model of simulated fisheries impact on loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) in the Northwest Atlantic Ocean. Ecological Modelling 299:23–39. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2014.11.025

Murray, KT. 2012. Estimating observer sea day requirements in the mid-Atlantic region to monitor loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) interactions Northeast Fish Sci Cent Ref Doc 12-26. 16 p.

Magnusson GM, KD Bisack, and HO Milliken. 2012. The cost-effectiveness of gear research relative to a closure: Pound nets and sea turtles as an example. Northeast Fish Sci Cent Ref Doc 12-01; 25 p.

Warden, ML. 2011. Modeling loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) interactions with US Mid-Atlantic bottom trawl gear for fish and scallops, 2005–2008. Biological Conservation 144:2202–2212. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2011.05.012

Warden, ML and KT Murray. 2011. Reframing protected species interactions with commercial fishing gear: Moving toward estimating the unobservable. Fisheries Research 110:387–390. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fishres.2011.05.015

Warden, ML. 2011. Proration of loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) interactions in US Mid-Atlantic bottom otter trawls for fish and scallops, 2005–2008, by managed species landed. Northeast Fish Sci Cent Ref Doc 11-04. 8 p.

Northeast Fisheries Science Center and Southeast Fisheries Science Center. 2011. Preliminary summer 2010 regional abundance estimate of loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta) in northwestern Atlantic Ocean continental shelf waters. Northeast Fish Sci Cent Ref Doc 11-03. 33 p.

Murray KT. 2011. Interactions between sea turtles and dredge gear in the U.S. sea scallop (Placopecten magellanicus) fishery, 2001–2008. Fisheries Research 107:137–146. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fishres.2010.10.017

Haas, HL. 2010. Using observed interactions between sea turtles and commercial bottom trawling vessels to evaluate the conservation value of trawl gear modifications. Coastal and Marine Fisheries: Dynamics, Management, and Ecosystem Science 2:263–276. https://doi.org/10.1577/C09-013.1

Smolowitz, R, H Haas, M Milliken, M Weeks, and E Matzen. 2010. Using sea turtle carcasses to assess the conservation potential of a turtle excluder dredge. North American Journal of Fisheries Management 30:993–1000. https://doi.org/10.1577/M10-061.1

Murray KT. 2009. Characteristics and magnitude of sea turtle bycatch in U.S. mid-Atlantic gillnet gear. Endangered Species Research 8:211–224. https://doi.org/10.3354/esr00211.

Murray KT. 2009. Proration of estimated bycatch of loggerhead sea turtles in U.S. mid-Atlantic sink gillnet gear to vessel trip report landed catch, 2002–2006. Northeast Fish Sci Cent Ref Doc 09-19. 7 p.

Haas, H, E LaCasella, R LeRoux, HO Milliken, and B Hayward. 2008. Characteristics of sea turtles incidentally captured in the U.S. Atlantic sea scallop dredge fishery. Fisheries Research 93:289–295. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fishres.2008.05.008.

Murray KT. 2008. Estimated average annual bycatch of loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) in US Mid-Atlantic bottom otter trawl gear, 1996–2004 (2nd edition). Northeast Fish Sci Cent Ref Doc 08-20. 32 p. https://www.nefsc.noaa.gov/publications/crd/crd0820/

Milliken HO, L Belskis, W DuPaul, J Gearhart, H Haas, J Mitchell, R Smolowitz, and W Teas. 2007. Evaluation of a modified scallop dredge’s ability to reduce the likelihood of damage to loggerhead sea turtle carcasses. Northeast Fish Sci Cent Ref Doc 07-07. 31 p.

Murray KT. 2007. Estimated bycatch of loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) in U.S. Mid-Atlantic scallop trawl gear, 2004–2005, and in sea scallop dredge gear, 2005. Northeast Fish Sci Cent Ref Doc 07-04. 30 p. https://www.nefsc.noaa.gov/publications/crd/crd0704/

Murray KT. 2005. Total bycatch estimate of loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta) in the 2004 Atlantic sea scallop (Placopecten magellanicus) dredge fishery. Northeast Fish Sci Cent Ref Doc 05-12. 22 p. https://www.nefsc.noaa.gov/publications/crd/crd0512/

Murray KT. 2004. Bycatch of sea turtles in the Mid-Atlantic sea scallop (Placopecten magellanicus) dredge fishery during 2003 (2nd ed.). Northeast Fish Sci Cent Ref Doc 04-11. 25 p.

Murray KT. 2004. Magnitude and distribution of sea turtle bycatch in the sea scallop (Placoplecten magellanicus) dredge fishery in two areas of the northwestern Atlantic Ocean, 2001–2002. Fishery Bulletin 102:671–681. https://spo.nmfs.noaa.gov/sites/default/files/pdf-content/2004/1024/murra.pdf

 

tagged leatherback sea turtle

Tagged leatherback sea turtle. Credit: NOAA Fisheries/Heather Haas

Partners

Partnerships represent a fundamental component of our work and are essential to successful sea turtle research and conservation activities throughout the Greater Atlantic Region. Much of our sea turtle ecology work has been funded by BOEM as part of AMAPPS. Other key partners include the other NOAA Fisheries Science Centers, NOAA Sea Grant, Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Massachusetts Department of Marine Fisheries, Atlantic Marine Conservation Society, Buttonwood Park Zoo, Coonamessett Farm Foundation, Massachusetts Audubon Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary, North Carolina State University, Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center.

Last updated by Northeast Fisheries Science Center on 09/23/2024

Satellite Tagging Sea Turtles Protected Species