NOAA science story tips -- AAAS 20...(y in Baltimore and the North Carolina De...)

Date:2/14/2008

y in Baltimore and the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality and is part of NOAA's ongoing efforts to forecast and manage harmful algal blooms. NOAA currently supports ecological HAB forecasting systems off the Florida and Texas Gulf coasts and is working to develop similar capabilities in New England and Pacific Northwest waters.

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NOAA Scientists Study 12,700 Mile Migratory Journey of Leatherback Sea Turtles across the Pacific
Connie Barclay, NOAA Fisheries, (301) 713-2370 x 144

NOAA researchers and their international partners in Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, and the Solomon Islands are using satellite transmitter technology to track the endangered leatherback sea turtle across the Pacific Ocean. Transmitters attached to the carapace of the turtle send signals to satellites providing researchers with information on the animals geographic location, diving behavior, and sea temperatures.

Recently, a female leatherback sea turtle was tracked for 647 days and 12,744 miles during its journey from a nesting beach of Papua, Indonesia to its foraging area off the Pacific coast of the United States of America. This international collaborative effort allows researchers to learn what migratory routes and foraging habitat are used by these endangered ambassadors of the sea. Understanding sea turtles movements is critical to understanding what habitat is important for their survival and recovery and ensuring their protection as they pass through multiple nations territories and international waters.

Leatherback populations face threats from egg harvesting, fishery bycatch, ingestion of debris, direct harvest, and habitat loss. Satellite tracking technology is one tool allowing NOAA researchers to unlock secrets of the incredible journeys of this species, allowing us to better understand where they go, what threats they might face at sea, and what management efforts will be required to ensure this spec
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Contact: Ben Sherman ben.sherman@noaa.gov 202-253-5256 NOAA Headquarters Source:Eurekalert

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