Evidence suggests that Indonesian and Filipino coastal waters provide important foraging grounds for several sea turtle species important to U.S. Western Pacific managed areas and ESA recovery mandates. Continued bycatch and persistent direct harvest of sea turtles in these waters are most likely important factors in the declines of many marine turtle populations in the Pacific such as the Pacific leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea), green (Chelonia mydas) (i.e. Central Western Pacific and Central South Pacific distinct population segments (DPSs), Western Pacific hawksbill, and olive ridley (Lepidochelys olivacea) sea turtle populations. Characterizing the extent, understanding the dynamics driving these practices, and developing mitigation strategies are of great interest as recent genetic and telemetry studies indicate connectivity between sea turtles in Indonesia and the Philippine waters and sea turtles found in US EEZs.

NOAA-PIFSC currently works in partnership with Indonesia’s Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (KKP), WWF-Indonesia (Fisheries Program), and Bogor University to characterize sea turtle bycatch in the small scale coastal gillnet fisheries of the Indonesian Archipelago. This partnership looks to establish a region-wide understanding of fisheries bycatch in these coastal Indonesian fisheries as well as bycatch mitigation strategies useful in these fisheries.

NOAA-PIFSC also has partnered with Philippine’s BFAR, DENR-BMB, Palawan Council for Sustainable Development (PCSD), the NGO (LAMAVE), and regional fishery experts to initiate a characterization of sea turtle and other marine megafauna bycatch in the Filipino archipelago.