World Status, Exploitation and Trade - WIDECAST

SAUDI ARABIAMigration No specific information, but it has been speculated that theRed Sea Green Turtle population is independent of Indian Ocean populations(lUCN, 1984), and the local Green Turtles may be largely resident orundertake small movements between mainland feeding grounds and islandnesting sites.POPULATION : Eretmochalys imbricataNesting sites On present evidence, all Hawksbill nesting occurs onoffshore islands. Three main nesting areas can be distinguished (lUCN, 1984and 1987a).(a) The vicinity of Tiran Island, in particular Sinafir, Shusha and Barqan.(b) The offshore islands between Wejh and Yanbu.(c) The islands of the north outer Farasan Bank, particularly the islandgroups centred on 19'*50'N, and 18*15*N, which support relatively highdensity nesting.Some islands and some parts of the mainland coast have not yet been surveyedfor evidence of turtle nesting.Nesting numbers Ground surveys of nest tracks and body pits in 1982 and1983 provided evidence of 572-1369 Hawksbill nests. This suggests that afew hundred female Hawksbills may use these three nest sites.Some 75% of these nest in the region extending between Al Lith and theFarasan Bank - notably Maghabiya, Mafsubber and Sabiya, in the southern partof the north outer Farasan Bank, 18*-18°30'N - and most of the remaindernear Tiran, near the mouth of the Gulf of Aqaba. The Farasan Bank islandsare the most important known site, with 200-400+ females a season (lUCN,1984). This level of Hawksbill nesting is important at international level.Nesting season Nests primarily in spring-early autumn (lUCN, 1984).Foraging sites No direct information, although Hawksbills are noted incoral reef environments near nesting sites (lUCN, 1984).THREATSWhilst apparently at low levels at present, exploitation could pose a threatwhen occurring in given areas for long periods.Little information available generally, but cement dust from the Yanbucement plant is causing coral mortality in the area and has been reported tocoat the nearby Green Turtle nesting beach (no data on the impact onturtles)There is somesignificant.incidental catch but this does not appear to be highlyEXPLOITATIONConnodity There is probably little intentional exploitation of turtlesin the region, although they may be taken periodically by fishermen fortheir own consumption while in fishing camps on the offshore islands. Eggs451