FWRI EPDC NonNeonate SeaTurtle Observations

Original provider:
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, Marine Turtle Research Program

Dataset credits:
Blair Witherington, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission - Fish and Wildlife Research Institute
Robert Hardy, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission - Fish and Wildlife Research Institute

Abstract:
These data describe observations of subadult and adult sea turtles that were observed by Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) staff ancillary to a study of the ecology of neonate sea turtles inhabiting epipelagic drift communities of the eastern Gulf of Mexico. Animals were observed by researchers aboard an 8.2 m power catamaran vessel launched from four ports along the west coast of Florida (Pensacola, Apalachicola, Sarasota, and Marco Island), United States. Researchers observed aggregations of loggerheads in the Eastern Gulf of Mexico, off Florida's west coast, during twelve sampling trips in August 2005, June 2006, July 2008 and August 2008. Observations of juvenile, subadult and adult loggerheads are rare in this study and considered ancillary as the effort targets posthatchling (> 10 cm straight carapace length) sea turtles inhabiting lines of floating pelagic debris and Sargassum. Loggerhead turtle sizes included three groupings: Adult (> 90 cm SCL), Subadult (45-90 cm SCL), and Juvenile (< 45 cm SCL). During this time 78 loggerheads (<i>Caretta caretta</i>), 1 Kemp's ridley (<i>Lepidochelys kempii</i>), and 2 unidentified turtles were observed. Sea turtle observations were made by two experienced observers who kept watch for sargassum habitat (for neonate studies) and large turtles (to avoid collisions). Vessel paths fanned out from each port to depths up to 300 m, with a mean path approximately perpendicular to the coastline.