Marine scientists gear up for Moreton Bay turtle rodeo

Environment Minister Dr Steven Miles joined marine scientists from the Department of Environment and Heritage Protection today (Friday 29 April 2016) for their annual turtle ‘rodeo’ where they catch turtles in Moreton Bay for their health checks.

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“Moreton Bay’s green turtle population has tripled in the past 25 years and this remarkable recovery has been monitored continuously in that time by EHP Chief Scientist and world renowned turtle authority Dr Col Limpus,” Dr Miles said.

“Each year Dr Limpus and his team capture green and loggerhead turtles and carry out a series of checks before tagging and releasing them back into the bay.

“We hope this year’s checks will confirm that Moreton Bay’s green turtle population continues to be in good health, thanks to the long-term conservation actions taken by the Queensland Government over the past 60 years.”

Dr Miles said there were approximately 10,000 juvenile and adult green turtles on the eastern banks and many more in the remainder of Moreton Bay itself.

“That’s in stark contrast to the 1950s when there were very few turtles left in Moreton Bay because of large scale harvesting for soup,” he said.

“The end of harvesting in August 1950, followed by the declaration of protected marine foraging habitats and nesting beaches within marine parks and national parks, have all contributed to today’s healthy population in Moreton Bay.

“The picture is more complex for loggerhead turtle populations, including the ones in Moreton Bay, because of the threats they face in the Pacific Ocean during their journey between Australia and South American waters.”

Dr Miles said loggerhead hatchlings took 16 years to travel from Queensland’s nesting beaches across the Pacific before returning as half-grown turtles to coastal waters, including Moreton Bay.

“Currently the major problem for our loggerhead turtle population in Moreton Bay is that too few of the young turtles are returning from the South Pacific,” he said.

Member for Lytton Joan Pease said there was increasing international concern about the threats to loggerheads in the South Pacific.

“Dangers for our loggerheads include getting hooked on longlines which are used for fishing sharks, tuna and other pelagic fish as well as swallowing floating plastic debris but in Moreton Bay boat strike is the biggest concern.

“I urge boat users to ‘Go Slow for those Below’ and slow their boat speed in estuaries, sandy straits and shallow inshore areas,” Ms Pease said.