NOAA photo.

SHIPPING AND TURTLES

Where ports and shipping traffic intersect with sea turtle nesting beaches, nearshore habitat and ocean migration paths, the potential for harm to or disruption of sea turtle life cycle arises. The existence of ports and shipping traffic in and around sea turtle habitat does not automatically equate to harm to sea turtles.

However, sea turtle nesting beaches have been harmed by port projects and ship strikes are known to injure and kill sea turtles.  Today about 300 adult female loggerheads from the Northwest Atlantic population that nest along the Florida coast are killed each yer by vessels. Analysis of pollution and operational impacts in or near sea turtle habitat is urgently needed.

In photo at right, a Pacific leatherback is sighted by NOAA research vessel along California coast near San Francisco. No harm to sea turtle, for illustration only. 

Between Asia and the U. S. West Coast, marine highways used by ships appear to overlap migration paths of Pacific sea turtles. In 2008, leatherbacks were seen congregating in shipping lanes and port approaches by researchers tracking sea turtles off the coast of California. How ship traffic impacts sea turtles is not yet completely understood.

SHIP STRIKES
U. S. National Marine Fisheries Service has recognized that "sea turtles are highly susceptible to vessel collisions because they regularly surface to breathe and often rest at or near the surface."
Stranding networks that keep track of sea turtles that wash up dead or injured have consistently recorded vessel propeller strikes as a cause or possible cause of death. While research is limited on the relationship between sea turtles, ship collisions and ship speeds, it is clear that it is an area that needs attention and action.
Over two years, 130 sea turtles were killed by collisions with vessels along the coast of Queensland. An Australian study (Hazel et al 2007) demonstrated that slowing ship speeds is beneficial to preventing vessel collisions with sea turtles.
More large cruise and cargo ships into coastal waters and nearshore habitat globally could result in increased sea turtle mortality due to collisions, habitat destruction, and pollution from the dumping of sewage, graywater, and garbage. Ship speed reductions and environmental protections would help prevent potential harm to sea turtle populations from shipping .

POLLUTION AND RISKS

• Nearly 80,000 ships weighing more than 100 tons travel the world's oceans.
• Ships routinely sail through migratory paths, marine sanctuaries, World Heritage sites and other waters.
• Ships are allowed under international law to discharge sewage, graywater, plastics, ballast water and other pollutants overboard into the ocean.
• Discharge of plastics, oil and fuel into the ocean is banned, but millions of dollars in fines have been imposed on cruise and merchant ships for breaking the law.
• Ships are under no legal obligation to slow down or otherwise avoid interactions with sea turtles.
• Ships contribute significantly to air pollution and climate change by burning bunker fuel.
• Port operations and shipping have the potential to increase noise, lighting, air pollution, water pollution and other negative environmental impacts at a given site.
• Protective guidelines or regulations to prevent the potential harm to sea turtles from port expansions or shipping do not exist or are inadequate.

PORT HOT SPOTS
ORISSA, INDIA
Several large port projects are planned for the Indian coastline in Orissa near sea turtle nesting beaches and habitat. The most controversial has been the Dhamra port, which is being constructed without a full environmental assessment or adequate controls to prevent or monitor harm to olive ridley arribadas. Dhamra is one of as many as a dozen port development projects are planned such as the POSCO steel plant and port at the mouth of the Jatadhari River. A major oil and gas facility in South Orissa is also on the books in mass nesting areas. While each project needs analysis, international standards for sea turtle protection plans at any given port is needed as a foundation for these and future ports that are expanding globally.
NORTHWESTERN AUSTRALIA
Several industrial projects are proposed or underway in Australian flatback habitat. The new conservative Western Australian government is giving the green light on projects in the Pilbara and Kimberly region that are opposed by sea turtle biologists, environmental groups and the international community.
U. S.-based Chevron Corp. is pushing to double or triple operations at the Greater Gorgon Gas Fields and Barrow Island for LNG extraction and processing without protections or even baseline data for the flatback.
A long stretch of Kimberley coast will be given over to liquified natural gas (LNG) industrial development - threatening humpback whales and numerous endangered species including dugong and Australian flatback turtles.

SHIPPING AND PORT EXPANSION
International shipping is on track to double in the next two decades due to globalization of trade.
Growing demand for fossil fuels and raw materials is prompting new exploration and development around the world to secure those resources and transport them
Large passenger cruise ships - which can carry more than 5,000 passengers and crew and which produce enormous volumes of waste - are traveling to more harbors and ports around the world.
Ports are being expanded and ship traffic is increasing in both number and size of ship to meet these demands.
The locations of ports and ship transit routes can occur near sea turtle nesting beaches, nearshore habitat and ocean migration paths.

PORT AND SHIPPING SOLUTIONS
CLEAN UP, SLOW DOWN, BUILD BETTER
Ports

• AVOID SITING PORT PROJECTS IN NESTING AREAS
• FULL ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT IN ADVANCE
• PROTECTIONS FOR SEA TURTLES FROM LIGHTING, NOISE, DREDGING AND OTHER OPERATIONS
• MONITORING AND RESEARCH OF IMPACTS TO SEA TURTLE LIFE CYCLE FROM PORTS AND SHIP TRAFFIC
• ENFORCE GOVERNMENT ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATIONS

Ships

• AVOID TRANSITING MIGRATORY PATHS
• ESTABLISH TIME AND AREA CLOSURES TO PREVENT HARM
• NO CRUISE SHIPS IN WORLD HERITAGE SITES
• SLOW DOWN SHIP SPEEDS Slowing down to 10 knots or less helps prevent deadly ship strikes; a 10% speed reduction achieves 23% emissions reductions.
• NO OCEAN DUMPING Ships should be prohibited from dumping sewage, graywater, oily water, garbage, packaging or anything overboard.
• REDUCE NOISE FROM ENGINES, PROPELLORS, OPERATIONS
• ALTERNATIVE TECHNOLOGY uel cells, sails, solar power, bio-fuels

HOW?
International sea turtle community to collaborate on solutions such as:

• Publish protective guidelines for preventing harm to sea turtles from ports and shipping
• Pressure governments, shipping and port interests to adopt protective guidelines as requirements for projects
• Research and monitor sea turtle harm from ports and shipping
• Advocate for stronger international standards for ship environmental standards and national standards for ports
• Engage affected communities and the public
• Educate policymakers about the need to impose protections for sea turtles from ports and shipping