World Status, Exploitation and Trade - WIDECAST

GUATEMALAGUATEMALA:CARIBBEANPOPULATION:Chelonia mydasNesting sites There is good turtle nesting habitat, in which C. mydas isknown to nest, from Cabo de Tres Puntas south-east to Rio Hontagua, adistance of c. 45 Ian (Carr et al 1982; Rosales-Loessener, 1984). However,Rosales-Loessener (1987) found only three species of sea turtle nesting onthe Caribbean coast in 1987, C. mydas not being amongst them.Nesting numbers C. mydas is said to be the least frequent of the fourspecies nesting along the coast (the others being Eretmochelys imbricata .Caretta caretta and Dermochelys coriacea ) (Carr et al. . 1982).Foraging sites Carr et al (1982) state that some mature Green Turtlesforage in Guatemalan waters on a seasonal basis from December to May.Rosales-Loessener (1987) said that an area of Thalassia (16 sq. km) in Bahiala Graciosa was an important feeding site for C. mydas .Migration At least three C. mydas taggedTortuguero in Costa Rica have been recoveredet al. . 1982).at the nesting beach ofin Guatemalan waters (CarrPOPULATION : Eretmochelys imbricataNesting sites There is reported to be good nesting habitat between Cabode Tres Puntas and Rio Montagua (Carr et al. . 1982).Nesting numbers The Hawksbill is reported to be the most abundantnesting sea turtle (Carr et al , 1982). Rosales-Loessner (1987) counted atotal of S3 nests on a 10-km stretch of coast between April and August 1987,and estimated that there were 380-760 nests a year on the whole Caribbeancoast.Nesting season E. imbricata is said to nest May-November, with a peakfrom June to August (Rosales-Loessener, 1987).Foraging sites Carr et al. (1982) note that good turtle habitat wasapparently almost non-existent, and immature sea turtles were rarely seenanywhere.THREATSIncidental catch by shrimp trawlers appears to be heavy; Carr et al.state that Caretta caretta is the species principally affected.(1982)EXPLOITATIONCommodity Carr et al report that a subsistence fishery for turtlesexists along the Caribbean coast, although do not state the speciesinvolved; they also note that eggs are collected and sold in Puerto Barriosand Guatemala City. There is said to be no local use of shell(Rosales-Loessener, 1987).210