 |
Save Our Leatherbacks Operation (SOLO) Extinction is Forever :: www.saveourleatherbacks.org |
 |
| Home | Leatherbacks | Goals & Objectives | Donate | Expeditions | Sponsors | News & Events | Volunteers | About | Contact |
 |
News & Events One of the Goals and Objectives on behalf of the Leatherback turtle is to monitor the commercial fishing industry in USA waters and ensure that our marine sanctuaries along both Atlantic and Pacific coasts remain protected. The reauthorized Magnusson-Stevens Act appoints the US Department of Commerce as the steward of maintaining a balance between the protection of marine ecosystems and the commercial fishing industry. Unfortunately, the “balance” appears to favor fisheries. SOLO and other conservation organizations along with the general public must make our voice heard to ensure that sea turtles and other keystone marine species are protected against commercial fisheries and their notoriously destructive fishing practices such as drift and gill nets and long lines. SOLO’s efforts to protect Leatherbacks are compromised by their migration across the wide Pacific Ocean into US waters for up to 4 months each year. There may only be between 300-400 Pacific Leatherbacks remaining in existence today. The loss of even one heavily impacts the future of this species’ survival. The following are some of the recent actions that SOLO has taken to ensure that the public’s voice is heard by the US government. These actions have been successful, and we will continue to take action to protect Pacific Leatherback turtles in US waters and will inform you when your help is needed to support our cause by sending letters, etc. to the government agencies. Our collective “voice” on behalf of the Leatherbacks and other marine life is a powerful tool to help protect our marine ecosystems. The following are SOLO communications conducted to protect the Leatherback sea turtle in US waters: In Opposition to NOAA Permits to allow long liners to enter the Florida East Coast fishing grounds and the Charleston "Bump". Both are in protected fish sanctuaries.
Our Newsletter We are excited to provide you with our latest Leatherback Turtle News. Our newsletter has been a long time in development. Thanks to Liz Logan, it is now a reality. We plan to publish each edition at least 2 times a year; maybe more - by e-mail. Positive and productive comments are welcome as are any inputs for Articles. Any suggested article should be with clear .jpg photos at 300 ppi and word count less than 500. Send to us at e-mail address: info@saveourleatherbacks.org To read the current LEATHERBACK TURTLE NEWS LETTER, click here: LEATHERBACK TURTLE NEWS
SOLO Press SOLO 2008 EXPEDITIONS
Papua Barat, Indonesia, November 12, 2008 Save Our Leatherbacks Operation (SOLO) conducted its fourth year of Expeditions to the Leatherback Turtle Nesting Beaches located in very remote Papua Barat, Indonesia. Each summer between May and October, between two (2) and four (4) Expeditions are conducted for the direct benefit of both SCUBA divers and others who are keen to see and actually film and touch this living "dinosaur" from the past. The Leatherback sea turtle is nearly the same as it existed about 150 million years ago.
Expedition participants have the very rare opportunity to actually interact with this majestic giant of the open ocean while they still exist. Man’s increasing and wanton destruction of our seas is causing a rapid spiral to extinction of the Pacific Leatherback; the largest sea turtle and reptile. This year we held two (2) Expeditions of 14 people each between July 14 and August 6. Each sortie lasted 11 days and 10 nights. The Expeditions go 1st to the Leatherback nesting beaches to the East of Sorong; the port of embarkation on a quality liveaboard boat.
Time at the Leatherback beaches takes about 2 days and 1 night in order to gain a meaningful experience with the giant females as they come from the sea in the dark of night to nest. Males never appear unless injured. Day periods at the beach also include the opportunity to interact with residents of two (2) remote villages where our research staff reside and witness an almost forgotten “Leatherback Calling Ceremony” by villagers in tribal costume, complete with bamboo bows and arrows to call the Leatherback females to the beach that night. (so far, it works every time). I had been curious for some time as to how accurate the Papuan men are with their bows and arrows, as the bows are bent bamboo; the bow string is of bamboo and the arrows are often crooked with no feathers or a notch to fit the bow string. I challenged the village men to shoot at a 3 x 5 inch target placed at 15 meters (about 45 feet). ALL hit that small target. (except me)
The village chief drilled the center of the target. WHEW! Don’t get THESE Papuans angry! We then went to the Leatherback beach after a gourmet dinner on the boat, at about 9 p.m. We go ashore beside Leatherback Rock. The nights on this 18 km long beach can become the most exciting part of this 3 phase trip.
We normally land at the beach in mild surf to be met by our Papuan researchers who become our guides on this night in search of the Leatherbacks. Their eyes at night see a lot more than ours and they have local knowledge of the Leatherback habits. We have them equipped with waterproof handheld radios. We all make a comfortable sand dune seat or bed and marvel at the stars which are so bright in the clear air, you can almost touch them. Last trip, I counted 25 shooting stars and a decaying satellite on a burn back into our atmosphere. After a brief wait, hooded lights begin to flash up and down the beach as our native staff locates a female crawling from the sea to find the spot where she was hatched to dig her nest and lay clutches of up to 100 eggs. Of all sea turtles, the Leatherback lays the most eggs in a single nesting.
We scramble to the location in small groups to not ‘spook’ the Leatherback and wait to approach her until she is digging the nest hole and begins to drop her eggs. The process requires from 1 to 1.5 hours, so there is plenty of time for photos and examining the entire nesting event. Many sit beside her and stroke the soft, velvet like skin which protects her massive rib cage lungs and marvel at her huge size. The Leatherback has been found to dive deeper than 3,000 feet in search of jellyfish. This is the only sea turtle which does NOT have a hard shell. As many times as I have seen this process, I never fail to get goose bumps at the experience. Eggs laid, sand repacked over the 4 foot deep nest, she, with lots of effort, then climbs out of the wide and deep hole she made and makes her way back to the sea. When a Leatherback comes to nest, she often returns in the same season to nest between 4 and 5 times; which can mean 1 Leatherback may deposit up to 500 eggs in a season. Once the Leatherbacks begin to emerge from the sea, the time can speed by quickly with the intensity of running up and down the beach; filming, watching, etc. so a glance at a watch surprises most when dawn is near. A Pacific sunrise on a remote beach can be a vision you'll never forget.
We return to the boat and shower/get cleaned up; have breakfast and return to the beach after sunrise to participate in actual nest research with the Papuan staff. On some trips the research is also accomplished at night. We examine the nests which have hatched to determine how many eggs hatched and did not. Often we locate and release babies which are caught deep in the sand and would not live unless brought to the surface.
Our primary motivation is to stop the steep extinction spiral of the Pacific Leatherback. Our staff has this purpose in mind each day and night as they locate and mark egg nests.
The apparent results of the 2008 nesting data is the cause of the 2nd line in this article title. A TERRIFIC SUCCESS. We are achieving one of our Foundation objectives by increasing the numbers of babies put to the sea to live, to grow and return to nest at a later time. In one nest at night, Expeditioners assisted 16 hatchlings to the surf which would not have lived were it not for human intervention. During the following morning, nest research was able to locate and release more trapped babies. All who participated remain excited to this day. So far in this season our staff have located and released over 900 hatchlings from deep in nests (this effort has NOT been accomplished or catalogued previously). As the Pacific longline boats continue to destroy the natural balance, our discovered procedures help create a positive result. Our relocated nests are producing approximately an 85% success rate of eggs which hatch that would have drowned or cooked deep in the nests. At season close (end October), we anticipate a summary of very encouraging results. Yessss, we ARE excited!
At mid morning we board the ship and head west into the Raja Ampat Islands to dive out the remaining days of the Expedition. We extended the venue of the dives to include Kawe and Waya, both West of the Ampats and on the Equator.
Diving in this pristine region is perhaps the last GREAT dive location left on our Planet. In 2007 and 2008, the majority of dive and travel magazines and National Geographic have featured this area because of clear waters and amazing concentrations of marine life. One recreational diver on 1 trip took over 2,000 photos. We will offer these Expeditions in 2009. Advance deposits are being accepted now, as 33 have expressed early interest; a deposit of $500 to hold beds is required. We might have two (2) boats travel in tandem to allow all who want to join us be sure of a space. Click here for more information on the 2009 Expeditions or e-mail us at: info@saveourleatherbacks.org. PRESS RELEASE #10 HUGE JELLY FISH SWARM KILLS IRISH SALMON STOCKS FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: An enormous oceanic “pink ocean cloud of death” invaded the Irish salmon pens off Glenarm Bay and Cushendun. The jellyfish, known as Mauve Stingers flooded into the salmon ocean fish cages and destroyed ALL the fish. This swarm was estimated to span about 16 square km (about 18 square miles) in area and 11 m deep (about 40 feet). Locals said…”The sea was RED with jellyfish”. After floating away from Ireland waters, this swarm is probably larger now and will appear (if not happening already) in another Atlantic food fish area and will destroy whatever they contact. This news release heralds the salmon loss to the jellyfish masses now in several oceans and seas and are multiplying out of sight of man. The destruction will occur with increased frequency as a DIRECT result of the wanton slaughter of the Leatherback sea turtle throughout the ocean. For three (3) years we have been warning our audiences that soon, we will begin to see a lessening of our fish food stocks in the seas IF the Leatherback slaughters continue. NOW THIS ALERT IS REALITY! The Leatherback sea turtle eats almost entirely jellyfish. Each day it must consume its weight of compressed jellyfish. A mature male weighs in excess of 3,000 pounds. With the destruction by commercial longline fishing, Leatherback populations have decreased alarmingly over the past 25 years and are continuing. Today in the vast Pacific Ocean, less than 600 nesting females remain. This Leatherback is at the top of the Ocean symbiotic structure of Marine life. Destroy it and the balance of the ocean is irreparably damaged. Many more incidents of out-of-control ocean life will follow. Soon, cans of tuna will not be in our markets. Want to know more and HOW to reverse this encroaching situation? E-mail us: info@saveourleatherbacks.org
PRESS RELEASE #9 Pacific Leatherback turtles continue to be slaughtered by the Asian Long Line Fishing Fleets every hour of every day. NO one has any control of the operations of these boats. Here in U.S.A. the National Marine Fisheries Service (a NEW Name for NOAA) is directly responsible for regulating the fishing and marine environmental activities in all U.S. waters, including those of Trust Territories to a 200 mile limit. The heavy money interests of the U.S. flagged fishing boats (including Long Liners) continue to pressure and sway OUR Government representatives to changing the rules of who can fish and where to the detriment of sea creatures. NMFS is attempting right now — to alter the rules of where boats can fish in costal protected marine preserves and in Hawaii waters to allow boats to fish longer beyond their permit limits AND to kill more creatures, as the endangered Leatherback turtles. This is WRONG! In the situation of the Leatherbacks, it is DEAD wrong. Below is a letter written against this prevalent policy of catering to fishermen and against our established Laws and Rules which protect the ocean creatures in OUR territorial waters. This campaign is managed by Sea turtles Restoration Project. (www.seaturtles.org). We have joined their campaign — because it makes sense to STOP these actions. Support us by telling your friends. SAVE OUR LEATHERBACKS OPERATION (SOLO) A Non Profit Public Charity Approved by IRS Code 501(c)(3) and Texas Non-Profit Corporation Act Mr. William Robinson Re: Support of Removing the 7 Day Delay in Closing the Hawaii Shallow Based Long Line Fishing Industry Dear Mr. Robinson: I have responded via Sea Turtle Restoration Project along with hundreds of other concerned citizens in support of the abolition of this 7 day closure practice which benefits the Hawaii Long Line fishers and is totally against all Law and precedent established to protect critically endangered marine creatures; as the Pacific Leatherback turtle and loggerhead turtles. I write this separate letter to you in further support and possibly to provide some education for you as to what a Leatherback "interaction" is in truth and in fact. See photo below:
AN "INTERACTION" (A SLAUGHTER) IN SIMPLE TERMS Perhaps those who write you do not adequately explain the situation, so you have a clear understanding from your desk of the severity of the issues. The above photo communicates MORE than words can express. This Giant Male Leatherback turtle ran into the fishing lines and buoys. He fought for his freedom and was killed in the process. This, Sir, is an "Interaction". We oppose any move by NMFS to permit this 7 day extension for ANY reason as it is quite clear that technology via radio and satellite phones can communicate to the fishing boats quickly to STOP fishing on the appointed day and time. Further, of a more critical concern is to permit long line boats who operate under a USA flag to catch/hook/snag (INTERACT WITH) ANY Leatherback turtles in US waters. The population of the adult Leatherback is seriously depleted. This is directly because of long line boat destruction of the turtles. In addition, the nesting of replenishment stocks in the far Pacific is well below any sustainable rate to insure specie survival. Together the situation will absolutely doom the species — in maybe 3 to 4 years based on our available data. Your Agency is a direct representative of the American tax payer who funds NMFS and is directed to apply your assets in compliance of the existing Laws and Court decisions in favor of conserving this species. We request you place the full attention of NMFS to do just this, vs. favoring the moneyed wishes of fishermen. This Leatherback turtle MUST be saved. There needs to be a technology developed and fully tested to allow the fishermen and the "By Catch or Interactions" with marine life to cease. Until this occurs, Long Line fishing MUST avoid contact with these turtles. There is no other solution at present.
Sincerely, Larry McKenna International Media: Please contact us for a Media Kit and copyrighted photos you may use to compose and create follow on articles and publications. |
|
| Home | Leatherbacks | Goals & Objectives | Donate | Expeditions | Sponsors | News & Events | Volunteers | About SOLO | Contact SOLO |
| Save Our Leatherbacks Operation © 2009 :: Terms & Conditions :: Privacy Policy :: info@saveourleatherbacks.org :: Site Map |
| Funding for the above will be provided by SOLO via Donor and Sponsor assistance. Funds will be furnished to the Indonesian Foundation, Yayasan Alam Lestari (Dr. Akil Yusuf) on a project by project identified basis. SOLO will audit the funds use against a to be developed set of criteria. Where Japanese or others provide funds and support to the same project, SOLO funds will be adjusted downward in their application, accordingly. Site Hosted by Capri Infosoft (I) Pvt. Ltd. |
