Returns of green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas Linnaeus) tagged at Bermuda

Published source details Burnett-Herkes J. (1974) Returns of green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas Linnaeus) tagged at Bermuda. Biological Conservation, 6, 307-308.
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This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

	Action	Category
	Head-start wild-caught reptiles for release: Sea turtles Action Link
	Release accidentally caught (‘bycatch’) reptiles Action Link

Head-start wild-caught reptiles for release: Sea turtles

A replicated study in 1967–1974 in pelagic waters in the Caribbean Sea near Bermuda (Burnett-Herkes 1974) found that some head-started and some accidentally-caught immature green turtles Chelonia mydas survived at least several months after release in the wild. In total, 16 of 108 (15%) released head-started or accidentally-caught immature green turtles were recaptured. Nine turtles were recovered within 10 months, other recaptured turtles had spent up to 27 months in the wild. Most turtles were recaptured a few hundred metres to 14 km away from their point of release, except for one head-started turtle that was recaptured 2,315 km away from the release site after 10 months. In 1967–1971, eighty-nine green turtles were head-started in Costa Rica and released after approximately two years on the north and south coasts of Bermuda. In addition, 19 wild-born immature green turtles caught accidentally by local fisherman were tagged and released as part of the same programme.

(Summarised by: Katie Sainsbury)
Release accidentally caught (‘bycatch’) reptiles

A replicated study in 1967–1974 in pelagic waters in the Caribbean Sea near Bermuda (Burnett-Herkes 1974) found that some accidentally-caught immature and some head-started green turtles Chelonia mydas survived at least several months in the wild. In total, 16 of 108 released accidentally-caught or head-started immature green turtles were recaptured. Nine turtles were recovered within 10 months, other recaptured turtles had spent up to 27 months in the wild. Most turtles were recaptured a few hundred metres to 14 km away from their point of release, except for one head-started turtle that was recaptured 2,315 km away from the release site after 10 months. In 1967–1971, eighty-nine green turtles were head-started in Costa Rica and released after approximately two years on the north and south coasts of Bermuda. In addition, 19 wild-born immature green turtles caught accidentally by local fisherman were tagged and released as part of the same programme.

(Summarised by: Katie Sainsbury)