EPA's Vessel General Permit and Small Vessel General

sea turtle survival and recovery include important natal development habitat, refuge from
predation, shelter between foraging periods, and food for green sea turtle prey.
Hawksbill sea turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata)
Species description and distribution
The hawksbill sea turtle has a sharp, curved beak-like mouth, which it uses to grasp sponges, its
primary prey. It has a circumglobal distribution throughout tropical and, to a lesser extent,
subtropical oceans.
Status
In 1970, the hawksbill sea turtle received protection under the Endangered Species Conservation
Act (35 FR 8495). In 1973, it was listed as endangered under the ESA (35 FR 8491). The
International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has classified the species as critically
endangered (Mortimer and Donnelly 2008).
Population designations, abundance and trends
Surveys at 83 nesting sites worldwide indicate 21,212 – 28,138 females nest annually (NMFS
and USFWS 2007). Long-term data exists for 58 sites for with historic trends, all of which
indicate a decline over the past 20 to 100 years. Among 42 sites for which recent trend data are
available, 10 (24 percent) are increasing, three (seven percent) are stable, and 29 (69 percent) are
decreasing. Populations are distinguished generally by ocean basin (i.e., Atlantic, Pacific, and
Indian) and more specifically by nesting location.
Threats
The greatest threats to hawksbill sea turtles are overharvesting of turtles and eggs, degradation of
habitat, and fisheries interactions. Hawksbills are harvested for their meat and carapace, which
is sold as tortoiseshell (Mortimer and Donnelly 2008). Eggs are taken at high levels, especially
in Southeast Asia where collection approaches 100 percent in some areas (Mortimer and
Donnelly 2008). Because hawksbills prefer to nest under vegetation (Mortimer 1982, Horrocks
and Scott 1991), they are particularly impacted by beachfront development and clearing of dune
vegetation (Mortimer and Donnelly in review). Lights on or adjacent to nesting beaches is often
fatal to emerging hatchlings (Witherington and Bjorndal 1991) and alters the behavior of nesting
adults (Witherington 1992). In addition to impacting the terrestrial zone, anthropogenic
disturbances also threaten coastal marine habitats. These impacts include contamination from
herbicides, pesticides, oil spills, and other chemicals, as well as structural degradation from
excessive boat anchoring and dredging (Francour et al. 1999, Lee Long et al. 2000, Waycott et
al. 2005). Finkbeiner et al. (2011a) estimated that annual bycatch interactions total at least 20
individuals annually for U.S. Atlantic fisheries (resulting in less than ten mortalities) and no or
very few interactions in U.S. Pacific fisheries. Hatchlings are preyed upon by seabirds and
sharks. Eggs are preyed upon by dogs, pigs, rats, and crabs (Ficetola 2008). Anthropogenic
climate change may further destroy nesting habitat via sea level rise, but increased temperatures
may help the species by skewing the hatchling sex ratio toward female (Wibbels 2003).
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