THE CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR RESEAERCH, MANAGEMENT AND CONSERVATION ON SEA TURTLES IN VIET NAM

Southeast Asia Sea Turtle Associative ResearchBangkok, Thailand, 16-19 December 2002It is recognized that there are five species of sea turtles in Vietnam's seawaters (loggerhead, olive ridley, leatherback, green and hawksbill turtles), but there are only four species often nest on Vietnam's beaches. Major nesting beaches are not concentrated in the northern part or the southern one of Viet Nam seawaters. In addition, there may be nests on most offshore islands. Determined nesting beaches were found in the Tonkin Gulf, central coasts and the islands in the Gulf of Thailand. It is significant that declines have occurred in both foraging and nesting populations of all five sea turtle species found in Viet Nam. In addition to the protection of nesting turtles and their nests, reduction in the mortality of juvenile and adult life stages is pertinent to the protection of sea turtles in Viet Nam (Le Xuan Ai., 2001; Mark Hamann., 2002). The largest current threats for marine turtles in Viet Nam are : * the accidental and opportunistic capture by fishermen and locals, * the direct take of nesting females and their eggs at beaches. The specific fisheries sectors that pose the largest risk for marine turtles are bottom trawlers, purse seine operators, long-line net with several hook operators and diving activities. In general, most green, hawksbill and olive ridley turtles that are captured by these methods are either killed for food or the production of souvenirs. Based upon our research project which has been conducted since 1998, these results showed that over the last two to three decades, most of the eggs and nesting turtles were collected for food or their shell. With the exception of Tho Chu Island (Kien Giang), Con Dao National Park (Vung Tau) and Nui Chua Reserve Area (Ninh Thuan Province), and harvest of nesting turtles and nearly to 100% of eggs still occurring for each species nesting in Viet Nam (the final result will be published in 2004's national report as the end of project). Most sea turtles that are killed (indirectly or directly) are eaten by local fishermen or sold for food or shell products (J. Thomson, TRAFFIC_Indochina 2002). Continuation of this trade, which places a monetary value on sea turtles, along with the additional threats such as fisheries by-catch and egg harvesting will lead to the inevitable extinction of sea turtles in Viet Nam in the forthcoming decades