Juvenile hawksbill turtle Eretmochelys imbricata movement patterns in Sechura Bay, Peru, assessed with satellite tracking

Abstract

The post-capture movements made by hawksbill sea turtles Eretmochelys imbricata in the southeast Pacific Ocean were monitored between 2014 and 2017. A total of 8 hawksbill turtles were fitted with satellite transmitters and released in Sechura Bay, northern Peru. All turtles were classified as juveniles (curved carapace length range: 34.7-47.5 cm) and were captured in a small-scale demersal set net fishery in Sechura Bay. Track durations ranged from 9 to 489 d. Six of the 8 turtles remained within the bay for the duration of their tracking, suggesting its importance as a long-term juvenile foraging site. Two turtles departed the bay and travelled over 1000 km, passing the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador. The satellite tracks of those turtles that remained within the bay showed a significant overlap with areas used by the demersal set net fishery operating there (mean overlap: 33%). The long residence times and high affinity for coastal areas observed in these tagged individuals make the turtles susceptible to multiple threats within the bay, including interactions with intensive small-scale fishing from the ports of Parachique, Puerto Rico, and Bayovar, as well as pollution and contamination from the communities that encompass the bay. More comprehensive measures are needed to quantify and characterize the threats faced by this endangered species in this unique habitat and to recommend practical conservation actions.