YOST sea turtle satellite tracking

Satellite tagging was one of the priority actions identified for the Year of the Sea Turtle (YOST) campaign under the SPREP regional Marine Turtle Action Plan 2003-2007, and continues under the Marine Species Regional Action Programme 2008-2012.

The plan calls for continuation of the satellite-tagging programme first initiated under YOST. It focuses on tag releases by multiple member countries to emphasize the shared nature of turtle stocks. In addition, satellite tagging will provide the needed data where not known/available, in particular the movement of nesting turtles after nesting.

The current turtle satellite programme is a collaborative undertaking by SPREP, the Marine Turtle Research Program (NOAA, National Marine Fisheries Service, Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, Hawaii), and member countries. Dr George Balazs is the Head of the Marine Turtle Research Program, NOAA.

How will the data will be processed and posted on our website?

The updates from Argos (in the form of data-strings of numbers) are received by George Balazs and SPREP over the internet once every third day.

The data will then be interpreted by one of George's expert Research Associate in Argos, mapping and satellite tracking and professional maps will then be constructed from the data interpretation by this expert above.

These maps are then sent to SPREP with the data and updated about once every 2 weeks.

Current trackings

Related links and information

• Turtle Tracking: French Polynesia
• Turtle Tracking: Vanuatu
• Lady Vini and Miss Lina turtle tracking
• American Samoan turtle tracking
• Seaturtle.org Satellite tracking
• Turtle tagging
• TREDS database

Contact: Lui Bell, Marine Species Officer, SPREP: LuiB@sprep.org