Presenter Information

Meredith Braun, Colby CollegeFollow

Location

Parker-Reed, SSWAC

Start Date

30-4-2015 11:00 AM

End Date

30-4-2015 1:55 PM

Project Type

Poster

Description

Six of the seven species of marine turtles occur in Australias waters. All species of marine turtle are listed as vulnerable, endangered, or critically endangered under the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). International legislation exists for the protection of biodiversity, habitats, and endangered flora and fauna, but the cohesion of these policies leaves much to be questioned. In cooperation with the Cairns Turtle Rehabilitation Centre on Fitzroy Island, Queensland, Australia, this study aimed to take the stories of four turtles observed in rehabilitation in May of 2014 and use them as a launching pad for investigation and analysis of the most important and far-reaching international legislations addressing, either in part or in full, the conservation of marine turtles on a global or multinational scale. The results of this study indicate that there is no international legislation, law, or agreement that monitors and protects the habitat of marine turtles, nor is legislation in place to regulate all existing commercial, recreational, or subsistence fishing in order to preclude incidental taking of marine turtles as bycatch. The lack of synthesis between science and policy on a global scale precludes effective, far-reaching, and comprehensive international legislation for the protection and conservation of marine turtles. Disjointed and fractured legislation cover certain necessary aspects of conservation, yet leave others to be decided by local and regional policies, resulting in the injury and death of the highly migratory species.

Sponsoring Department

Colby College. Environmental Studies Program

CLAS Field of Study

Interdisciplinary Studies

Event Website

http://www.colby.edu/clas

ID

1344

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Apr 30th, 11:00 AM Apr 30th, 1:55 PM

Case Studies of Turtle Rehabilitation as Implicators of Legislative Efficacy

Parker-Reed, SSWAC

Six of the seven species of marine turtles occur in Australias waters. All species of marine turtle are listed as vulnerable, endangered, or critically endangered under the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). International legislation exists for the protection of biodiversity, habitats, and endangered flora and fauna, but the cohesion of these policies leaves much to be questioned. In cooperation with the Cairns Turtle Rehabilitation Centre on Fitzroy Island, Queensland, Australia, this study aimed to take the stories of four turtles observed in rehabilitation in May of 2014 and use them as a launching pad for investigation and analysis of the most important and far-reaching international legislations addressing, either in part or in full, the conservation of marine turtles on a global or multinational scale. The results of this study indicate that there is no international legislation, law, or agreement that monitors and protects the habitat of marine turtles, nor is legislation in place to regulate all existing commercial, recreational, or subsistence fishing in order to preclude incidental taking of marine turtles as bycatch. The lack of synthesis between science and policy on a global scale precludes effective, far-reaching, and comprehensive international legislation for the protection and conservation of marine turtles. Disjointed and fractured legislation cover certain necessary aspects of conservation, yet leave others to be decided by local and regional policies, resulting in the injury and death of the highly migratory species.

https://digitalcommons.colby.edu/clas/2015/program/140