To promote the conservation of the sea turtle population

To promote the conservation of the sea turtle population

To promote the conservation of the sea turtle population

Trace d’activité de ponte de tortue marine à Tintamarre | Trace of marine turtle nesting activity at Tintamarre
Trace d’activité de ponte de tortue marine à Tintamarre | Trace of marine turtle nesting activity at Tintamarre

Action CS13 : Monitor sea turtle nesting activity

Action MS22 : Ensure the recruitment, supervision, and training of volunteers, interns, and recruited staff

Action MS37 : Participate in meetings, maintain and strengthen partnerships with regional networks

Action PA7 – Continue and develop a participatory science program

From the end of September to the beginning of December 2023, a series of videoconferences was organized within the framework of the steering committee for the national action plan for the preservation of sea turtles in the Antilles. The Saint Martin Nature Reserve Management Association contributed to the various thematic commissions, namely awareness, stranding management, conservation of terrestrial and marine habitats, as well as the enrichment of scientific knowledge. During these commissions, the nature reserve was able to share its experience, results, objectives, and actions implemented in the territory. The last steering committee meeting was held in person in Guadeloupe on December 14, 2023. Julien Chalifour represented the Saint Martin Nature Reserve Management Association, alongside associations and stakeholders engaged in the protection of sea turtles in Guadeloupe and Martinique.

The annual sea turtle breeding period concluded on November 30, 2023, thus closing the phase of monitoring tracks and nesting on the beaches, a task carried out by volunteers and the nature reserve. While the final report is being finalized, preliminary data reveal that the year 2023 has been particularly successful in terms of nesting activity, with special mention for hawksbill turtles. Moreover, a significant number of emergences – the moment when the newborns leave the nest and make for the sea – was observed, especially towards the end of the season.
Le site de l’émergence des bébés tortues a été protégé | The site of the baby turtles emergence has been protected
Le site de l’émergence des bébés tortues a été protégé | The site of the baby turtles emergence has been protected

Action CS13

  • Follow the egg-laying activities of sea turtles (priority 1)

On March 1, the date when the sea turtle egg-laying season starts, the Réserve Naturelle was called to the beach in Anse Marcel, where the emergence of baby hawkbill turtles had been observed. It was necessary to protect dozens of hatchlings trying to reach the sea in a popular tourist area, without touching them but by answering the questions asked by swimmers who were extremely interested in this incredible activity. This beach is an historic site for egg-laying in Saint Martin and is protected by a ministerial decree, just like the turtles themselves. Construction, nocturnal lights, the use of heavy motorized machinery, and general pollution have caused damage to this essential habitat for the reproduction of these animals that are so emblematic in the waters around the island.

In early April, 30 or so eco-volunteers participated in a preliminary informational meeting on the monitoring of sea turtles. They patrol the beaches regularly and try to count the eventual traces as the turtles climb up the beach, and the presence of nests throughout the egg-laying period, which ends on November 30 for certain species: leatherbacks, hawkbills, and green turtles. The months of August and September are generally the most active. Would you like to serve as an eco-volunteer to help protect the sea turtles? Don’t hesitate to send a message to Aude Berger at reservenat.aude@yahoo.com.

 

Requin-tigre | Tiger shark
Requin-tigre | Tiger shark

Action CS3

  • Raise public awareness about shark protection
  • Supervise uses and attendance on high-stakes sites

Created after two consecutive shark attacks by what seems to be the same tiger shark in St Martin and St Kitts in 2000, the goal of the One Shark SXM project is to better understand the population of tiger sharks around Saint Martin, estimate their number, track their migrations, and catalogue their genetic profile. To do so, during scientific fishing explorations, a tiger shark is trapped, marked, and a sample of its DNA is taken before it is released. The goal, in case of a new incident, is to find the cause and neutralize it. Several scientific captures and DNA samples have been done locally since the start of the project.

A public interest group was created to better confront the risk of sharks. Its members— the prefecture, the Collectivité, the management association for the Réserve Naturelle, local doctors, fishermen, tourism professionals, the gendarmerie, firefighters, Regional Health Agency, maritime affairs—have met three times at the prefecture, on January 2, June 28, and August 22, 2023. Led by Adrien Bidenbach, the director of this group, these meetings cautioned the various parties about the necessity to plan for a rapid response in case of a new attack. For example, the doctors and first responders need a plan to react as quickly as possible.

Informational signage for the public will be installed along the beaches, along with events in the schools, with the goal of raising awareness without being alarmist. The One Shark SXM project is directed by the École Pratique des Hautes Etudes (EPHE), whose objective is to train the researchers through study.

2022 Sea Turtle Report

The 2022 report on the activities of sea turtles has been completed as their egg-laying season closed on December 1, 2022. Thanks to 331 readers on the mailing list, of which 38 are very active, there were close to 500 patrols along 15 beaches on the French side, which yielded 182 traces of egg-laying activity between March and November. This marks a decrease in such activity compared to the 2021 report with 268 traces. This slight decline can be explained by way of life cycles and reproduction cycles, as every two or three years a smaller number of females are able to reproduce on the beaches. Green turtles predominated as usual, with 108 traces (227 in 2021), followed by hawksbill turtles with 72 traces (compared to 41 in 2021). There were no traces for leatherback turtles; two traces were illegible. Plum Bay wins first prize for the busiest turtle beach in 2022, with 72 traces, followed by Long Bay with 42 traces, and the lagoon beach on Tintamarre takes third place (27 traces). This high level of egg-laying on the beaches of the Lowlands confirms the importance of the decree for the protection of the biotope issues in January 2021, and reinforcing the protection programs at these major sites. The three beaches in the Lowlands and Tintamarre represent 99% of the traces observed in Saint Martin. All of the participants that contributed to the 2022 egg-laying project were sent a copy of report that includes a synthesis of their contributions. The amassed data has already been sent to the ONF (French National Forests Office), which manages the sea turtle network in the French West Indies. Public review meetings will be organized in February and March 2023.

La piscine en chantier The swimming pool under repair
La piscine en chantier The swimming pool under repair

Construction Site Lectured On Protection Of Sea Turtles

At the request of GTM, the company in charge of the construction site for the renovation of the collective swimming pool at the Mont Vernon Residence, located in direct proximity to the egg-laying spot for sea turtles at Orient Bay, Julien Chalifour intervened again at the site to lecture the crews about the protection of sea turtles. The goal was to explain how the fragility of the island’s biodiversity could be impacted by this construction site and to suggest implementing a procedure and instructions on how to limit the assault on the flora and fauna at the site. He listed the precautions to take to prevent having turtles enter the site and to start ongoing surveillance to indicate the presence of turtles or traces of egg-laying activity. A point person was designated to stay in contact with the Réserve Naturelle.

Eco-Volunteers Answer The Call To Duty

More than 40 eco-Volunteers participated on April 15, 2022 at the first informational meeting about the study of sea turtles, as led by Julien Chalifour, head of the scientific department at Réserve Naturelle. The beach patrols are already and regularly on watch along the beaches, where they are looking for eventual tracks of sea turtles who came to lay their eggs, and the presence of nests throughout the egg-laying season, March 1 to November 30, according to the species: leatherback sea turtle, hawksbill sea turtle, or green sea turtle. At the end of September, there were 417 patrols and the observation of 146 traces of egg-laying activities.

Tortues marines échouées, victimes d’une collision Beached sea turtles, victims of a collision
Tortues marines échouées, victimes d’une collision Beached sea turtles, victims of a collision

Turtles Washed Up On Shore : What To Do

As part of the National Sea Turtle Plan for the conservation
of sea turtles, Aude Berger and Julien Chalifour participated
in training about the beaching of these animals on the shore.
Organized by the ONF and the association, Evasion Tropicale,
the contact for beached turtles in Guadeloupe, this training was
accessible via video conferencing from Saint Martin. It will be
completed in January 2022 by a session held in Guadeloupe
about the necropsy of beached animals.
What to do in the case of a beached turtle? Whether the animal
is dead or injured, it is imperative not to touch it, and
immediately call the Réserve Naturelle at + 0590 6 90 34 77
10 to let them know about the beaching and tell them the exact
location. The agents will handle the details of the beaching:
identification of the species, its size, the probable cause of
death, removal of the animal... All of this information serves to
improve management of the sea turtle population.
In 2021, nine beached turtle cadavers were observed in Saint
Martin, of which seven were possibly the result of a collision
with a boat engine.

Traces de montée de tortues marines Traces of sea turtles climbing on the beach
Traces de montée de tortues marines Traces of sea turtles climbing on the beach

Sea Turtle Egg Laying By The Numbers

November 30, 2021 officially marked the end of the sea turtle egg-laying season. The Réserve Naturelle sincerely thanks the 50 volunteers who lent a hand to ensure the patrols on the beaches on the French side of the island.

The numbers:

  • 475 patrols completed
  • 171 by the Réserve Naturelle
  • 304 by volunteers
  • 226 traces of sea turtles were observed Of which
  • 192 were green turtles
Accouplement de tortues à Baie Longue Sea turtles mating at Long Bay
Accouplement de tortues à Baie Longue Sea turtles mating at Long Bay

Mating Of Sea Turtles In Our Coastal Waters

In 2021, the mating of green sea turtles was observed very close to our beaches. For three weeks, several couples were seen in full action by eye witnesses, who were quickly joined by agents of the Réserve. Saint Martin is thus not only a site for egg laying, but also for the mating of sea turtles. The preservation of these animals requires respect and tranquility as well as the maintaining excellent conditions of the essentials needed for their survival (food, reproduction, and egg laying).

Tortue tuée par un engin nautique
Tortue tuée par un engin nautique

Eight sea turtles killed in 2019

Eight sea turtles died in 2019 due to collisions with a boat or a jet ski. And four others were found stranded on the shore since the beginning of 2020. These numbers concern only those turtles found on the shore and brought to the attention of the Réserve Naturelle. How many others may have been victims of such collisions at sea that went unnoticed? It is important to note that it takes 25 years for a sea turtle to reproduce and that only one in a thousand actually reaches that age. Sadly, these accidents impact mature sea turtles as well as juveniles that have not yet had the chance to reproduce. And a large number of sea turtles found on our shores show traces of fibropapillomatosis, a disease found more and more frequently in the island’s sea turtle population.

Une tortue verte sur l’herbier de Tintamare A green sea turtle feeding on sea grass at Tintamare
Une tortue verte sur l’herbier de Tintamare A green sea turtle feeding on sea grass at Tintamare

Green sea turtles VS humans

Do green sea turtles modify their nutritional habits in sea grass beds in the presence of humans? Or not? The first phase of a two-part study took place November 10-22, in low tourist season, and was continued in high season, between Christmas and New Year. The goal is to characterize the interactions between green sea turtles and humans, specifically at the sea grass beds at Anse Marcel and Baie Blanche in Tintamare. Benjamin de Montgolfier, director of the maritime consulting firm, AquaSearch, led the project with funding made possible by the French Office For Biodiversity (OFB). The results of this study will contribute to the establishment of best practices for turtle watching, working hand-in-hand with professional and amateur boaters.

Rencontre sur le site du chantier - Meeting at the site
Rencontre sur le site du chantier - Meeting at the site

Limit the impact of work on the beaches

An architectural firm doing work to protect a villa from storm surge requested that the Réserve Naturelle to provide advice on the site along the coast at Baie Rouge, a site favored by sea turtles during egg-laying season. After getting the obligatory administrative authorization, the architect responsible for the project—a wall comprised of steel pilings deeply driven into the sand—decided to seek professional advice to limit try and best minimize the impact on one of the most sensitive sites, and just at the beginning of the 2020 egg-laying season. On January 21, Julien Chalifour and Aude Bergé met with the architects and the construction company to raise their awareness about the protection and reproduction habits of sea turtles. Pointing out that the solution with the least impact would be not to put up a wall, but to rely on natural barriers, the participants discussed various technical solutions in order to define a protocol intended to limit the impact to the site and to its future use for egg-laying. The work should have been completed before the start of egg-laying season in May, but was unfortunately delayed by the consequences of Covid-19.

The important points as outlined in the protocol include:

  • Heavy machinery should limit their maneuvers on the site as much as possible;
  • Storage of dirt and construction materials will be limited in the egg-laying zone;
  • An awareness campaign for workers, including signage with rules to be respected;
  • A daily control procedure to verify the absence of sea turtles or traces of egg laying around the work site;
  • In the case of sighting a turtle or egg-laying traces, the Réserve Naturelle will be informed immediately;
  • Lighting intended to illuminate the beach will be avoided;
  • The Réserve encourages the planting of vegetation on the beach in front of the project. In addition to limiting erosion of the sand and being more aesthetic, this zone of vegetation will help encourage hawksbill turtles, as they like to lay their eggs in a spot with plants at the high edge of the beach.
Tortue imbriquée - Hawksbill turtle © Julien Chalifour
Tortue imbriquée - Hawksbill turtle © Julien Chalifour

Updating the Atlas of sea turtle egg-laying sites

Fifteen years ago, in 2005, the Réserve Naturelle created an Atlas of sites in Saint Martin where sea turtles lay their eggs. Regularly updated, this document required a major overhaul post hurricane Irma. The job was entrusted to Manon Gomez y Gimenez, a master’s degree candidate in ecology at the University of Montpellier, and an intern at the Réserve from March through August 2020. She will evaluate the overall state of each beach where turtles traditionally lay their eggs: the surface of the sand; a description of the natural vegetation; and also various factors of deterioration, from construction to visual sources of disturbance and too much noise. She will pay special attention to light pollution, for which regulations have evolved as recently as January 2020 in an attempt to protect the flora and fauna from intrusive lighting that disturbs natural habitats. These measures apply to all construction, public and private, except where nocturnal lighting is necessary, such as ports and marinas. The negative and positive points of each site will be included in the Atlas, with individual notations: tamping of the sand, local or imported vegetation, narrowness or wideness of the beach. Finally, it will be possible to evaluate with exactitude the conditions awaiting the turtles on the beaches, and their evolution over time. The idea is to define the priorities that must be established for the protection of sea turtles.

Protection du nid par ruban de sécurité Protection of a nest with security tape
Protection du nid par ruban de sécurité Protection of a nest with security tape

Turtles Alone On The Beaches

The beaches were closed while the island was in confinement, which means the volunteer team created by the Réserve Naturelle was not able to monitor the egg-laying activities of sea turtles between March 17th and May 11st. However, witnesses have reported five traces typical of leatherback turtles on the beach in Orient Bay, which has been the most popular egg-laying spot as of March 1st. The nests have been protected with the help of security tape, and the good news about being confined means that tranquility is guaranteed for the nest and the hatching, which in theory maximizes the chances of success. The Réserve noted three egg-laying instances at 11-day intervals, and it is most likely the same leatherback turtle, as they have a tendency to lay their eggs several times in the same place about every eleven days.

The Réserve Naturelle has put out a call for eco-volunteers to participate in the scientific study of sea turtles. These volunteers can help out once a week, or even just once per month, according to their availability, and the Réserve will provide training. The contact person is Aude Bergé, who runs the project, “Take Action For The Sea Turtles Of Saint Martin.” She can be reached at reservenat.aude@yahoo.com.
Une tortue luth - A leatherback turtle
Rencontre avec les bénévoles

The volunteers of the sea turtle network regularly accomplish their solitary mission, which consists of finding the tracks of turtles that come to lay eggs on the beaches, and noting signs of their nesting. In order to meet them and introduce them to the activities of the Réserve, as well as help them improve their finding of the tracks, Aude Berger from the Réserve’s scientific department, invited the volunteers to Tintamare, on the beach in Bay Blanche and the lagoon. Twice a week, in August and September, one or two of these volunteers took part and appreciated this special experience, in a great natural setting in the presence of our scientific experts.

Fifteen volunteers from the sea turtle network participated in the night of observation of turtles at Long Bay in Terres Basses on September 13. From sunset until 10:30pm, they all waited under the full moon in vain for even one turtle to come out of the water and lay its eggs.
Une tortue prise au piège
Une tortue prise au piège

Other than the fact that buildings along the edge of the beach stops the development of vegetation to help prevent erosion along the shore, which leads to smaller beaches, construction also represents an obstacle for sea turtles to lay their eggs. On September 15, on a contruction site for a wall between a villa and the beach in Baie Rouge, workers rescued a turtle that had fallen into a deep trench dug for the foundation of the wall. Surveillance cameras caught the event on video and one can see the trapped turtle unable to get out of the trench on its own. Then the video shows the men helping extricate it—with diffuculty— and send it back to the beach. The Réserve Naturelle took advantage of this mishap to point out that sea turtles, as well as their essential habitats essentiels (zones for feeding and reproduction) are protected on a national basis, with the goal of preserving these populations threatened by mankind. These species and their habitats are part of our common heritage and play a role in the economic activity of our island.

Réunion des écovolontaires - Meeting of eco-volunteers
Réunion des écovolontaires - Meeting of eco-volunteers

A group of eco-volunteers turned out in big numbers this year, with no less than 50 people regularly patrolling the beaches in order to find tracks left by the marine turtles that come ashore to lay their eggs. By mid-June, three observations had been noted. A first informational meeting was held on April 19 at L’Etage restaurant in Hope Estate, and a second on June 21 at the Réserve. For Julien Chalifour, director of the Réserve’s scientific division, the return of these activities, in spite of the scars left by Irma, as well as the recent invasion of Sargasso seaweed, is very encouraging, but he points out the importance of maintaining the quality and tranquility of the areas around the sites where the eggs are laid.

Tortue tuée par un engin nautique
Tortue tuée par un engin nautique

Seven marine turtles have died since January 1, the majority of which were involved in a collision with a boat or a jet ski. And that number only concerns those turtles found on the shore and reported to the Réserve Naturelle. How many others have been victims of a collision at sea that went unnoticed? It takes 25 years for these turtles to be able to reproduce, and only one in a thousand actually reach that age. Sadly these accidents involve mature turtles as well as juveniles that have not yet had the chance to reproduce.

Trace d’une tortue venue pondre – Traces of a turtle to lay its eggs
Trace d’une tortue venue pondre – Traces of a turtle to lay its eggs

In spite of the fact that it was a busy year in terms of reconstruction, the egg-laying season for sea turtles was observed as usual from March through November 2018. The team of eco-volunteers that covers the beaches in the hope of seeing traces of a turtle come to lay its eggs was reduced to 30 people in 2018. By early June, no traces had been seen but it was not call for alarm. In fact, at the time of this report, no fewer than 104 traces had been reported after 288 patrols were done. That does not mean that the turtles were less present on our beached in 2018. However it seems wise to take extra care of these turtles, in context of the fact that a majority of the eggs laid in 2017 were destroyed by hurricane Irma, and certain building sites currently impact egg-laying areas. The reconstruction of Saint Martin should take into consideration the restoration of these egg-laying sites.

Julien Chalifour, who runs the turtle network in Saint Martin, also took part in the 3rd colloquium of the Sea Turtle Group of France, at the La Rochelle Aquarium on November 12-16 2018. Approximately 100 experts from France, the Atlantic Ocean, the Pacific Ocean, the Caribbean Sea and the Indian Ocean shared respective experiences in terms of conservation and the study of sea turtles, as well as their washing up on shore. This meeting has been for Julien Chalifour an opportunity to discuss ideas on subjects of interest to Saint Martin, notably the absence of treatment center for turtles that are sick or in distress, as compared to Reunion Island or Polynesia, where there are consequent structures that are financially independent. Another problem is that of turtle watching during underwater excursions, which can bother these protected reptiles and eventually cause them to flee, as well as cause an outbreak of diseases.

Did you know that leatherback turtles, as well as certain green turtles and hawksbill turtles, swim around the Atlantic Ocean, by following the currents. Their speed can reach as high as 35 km/hour. These long-distance travelers can cover thousands of kilometers in their lifetime, in order to get back to their reproduction zone, which can be far from their feeding zones.

On January 25, the Réserve Naturelle was questioned by the gendarmerie, which required its expertise in the context of several ongoing issues that involve work on certain beaches, in particular in the Lowlands, in order to estimate the damage that this work could cause to egg-laying sites for sea turtles. In fact, the reconstruction of the island post-Irma often encouraged owners of land along the beach to build walls along the shoreline, without realizing they were causing a problem for the reproduction of sea turtles by destroying their natural habitat, as turtles nest at the top edge of the beach. As all sea turtles and their essential habitats for reproduction and feeding are protected, the equipment and machines that served to break the law could eventually be seized.

An injured turtle was spotted on February 19 in the bay of Marigot—where boat speeds are limited to three knots—by the personnel of Marina Fort Louis and Tradewind Charters, who immediately informed the Réserve Naturelle. The agents recovered the young green sea turtle, which was still alive, but signs of a violent impact with a boat propeller could be seen on its shell. An examination by a veterinarian showed that the spinal column of the animal had been ruptured. The turtle was paralyzed on the rear half of it body, thus unable to swim or reproduce. The only chance for survival would have been in an artificial basin of water for a long convalescence with uncertain results, but lacking a center for such treatment of marine animals in Saint Martin, the turtle was euthanized. This is the sixth known victim of collisions with boats since the 1st of January. Knowing that only one turtle in every thousand has a chance to reach adulthood, 20 to 25 years after it is hatched, it is essential to reduce the speed of all boats, as well as jet skis, especially near the shore and near underwater plant beds that serve as alimentation zones for sea turtles. Collisions with motorized vehicles and poachers are the two prime causes of mortality for sea turtles in Saint Martin.

Tortue verte - Green Turtle © Julien Chalifour
Tortue verte - Green Turtle © Julien Chalifour

On the evening of August 31, at about 11pm, on the beach at Long Bay, about 40 eco-volunteers following the activity of sea turtles were able to observe a green turtle in the process of trying to lay her eggs. For an hour and a half, the animal tried multiple times, but finally went back to the sea without laying any eggs. She came back a little later, but this new effort was also a failure as the next collapsed onto itself as the turtle tired to dig it. According to Julien Chalifour, these unsuccessful attempts are caused by a beach built up with too much sand, as created by Irma, as well as successive swells caused by the hurricane. This episode once again illustrates the importance of not disturbing such egg-laying activities, as well as preservation and management of the natural aspects of the egg-laying zones: vegetation, development, compacting of sand, lighting...

Good To Know
A sea turtle ready to lay her eggs has a window of just three days to do so successfully. After this time frame, and considering that she is capable of nesting several times in the same season, she must dispose of her eggs in the ocean to make room for the next eggs that are forming. Sea turtles only lay eggs every two or three years, but are capable of making nests three to eight times in the same season, with an average of 60 to 120 eggs each time. But only one in 1000 baby sea turtles ever reaches adulthood, 20 to 25 years after hatching. The others often fall to predators, or are victims of accidents, pollution, fishing boats, or poachers.
Sans commentaire - No comment
Sans commentaire - No comment

The activities of construction and reconstruction in Saint Martin have been really ramping up over the past five months, and it is totally legitimate that everyone wants to rebuild their homes and businesses. The island’s natural ecosystems, also impacted by the hazards of climate change, remain in bad condition and need revitalization. It is equally as important to avoid damaging them any further. Contrary to common sense, it is also important to respect the regulations and to get solid advice from the appropriate services that have jurisdiction over the environment, such as UT DEAL Saint Barthélemy and Saint Martin at the prefecture. That’s what a villa owner in Terres-Basses should have done before starting work to rebuild a wall along the beach. This work led the builder to create a cavity more than three meters deep on a beach listed and identified as an egg-laying site sea turtles. In France—and this in Saint Martin —sea turtles, certain bird and plant species are protected, as are the habitats that shelter them. The destruction of sites with geological importance, or the natural habitats of non-domesticated animal species, and non-cultivated vegetation constitutes an offense, as noted in the environmental code. The responsible party risks a maximum term of two years in prison and a fine of 150,000 €. This regulation applies in all natural, terrestrial, and coastal zones in Saint Martin.

Une tortue imbriquée en ponte - Hawksbill turtle laying her eggs
Une tortue imbriquée en ponte - Hawksbill turtle laying her eggs

The 2018 egg-laying season for sea turtles runs through November. The team of eco-volunteers tasked with walking the beaches in the hopes of seeing tracks made by a turtle that has come to lay its eggs has been reduced to about 30 people this year. Not a single set of tracks had been seen as of early June, but that is nothing to be alarmed about. In fact, at this point, no fewer than six tracks have been reported on the beaches of Tintamare, which is exactly the same number noted at the same time in 2017. Julien Chalifour, scientific director for the Réserve, will wait until the end of the season to reflect on any eventual consequences on the egg-laying habits of the sea turtles due to the disruption of the beaches by the hurricane, as well as the unusual climatic conditions.

How to become an eco-volunteer and participate in the scientific study of sea turtle egg-laying habits? All it takes is to be available once a week, or even once a month, based on your schedule, and the Réserve will train you. To volunteer, contact: science@rnsm.org
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