The Hawaiian Green Sea Turtle and Marine Debris

Potential Threats

• Disease - Disease is considered the primary threat to green turtles in Hawaii. Fibropapillomatosis causes tumor growth on the exposed soft tissue including flippers, head, and neck areas. While the tumors do not appear to be accompanied by any other symptoms or negative effects, their location could be detrimental to the survival of an individual. For example, if a tumor obstructs a turtle's mouth or eyes enough, it may starve due to inability to locate and/or ingest food. Tumors around the eyes may also impair vision so that a turtle's ability to avoid predators is reduced.

• Harvest - In a American Samoa, Guam and the Commonwealth of the Marianas Islands, direct harvest remains a serious threat to green turtle populations. Hawaiian green turtles have been sucessfully protected from these threats for over 25 years and their population growth is evidence of the success of such protection.

• Incidental take in fisheries

• Indestions of marine debris

• Entanglement

• Habitat loss

• Nest and hatchling predation

Current Management Issues

On February 16, 2012, NOAA Fisheries received a petition from the Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs to classify the green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas) in Hawaii as a distinct population segment (DPS) and delist this DPS under the ESA.

On August 1, 2012, they made a positive 90-day finding (77 FR 45571), determining that the petitioned action may be warranted.

On March 23, 2015, NOAA Fisheries issued a 12-month finding and proposed rule to remove the current range-wide listing of the green sea turtle and, in its place, list eight DPSs as threatened and three DPSs as endangered (80 FR 15271). They then solicited comments on the proposal and held public hearings.

On April 6, 2016, they issued a final rule that removes the current range-wide listing of the green sea turtle and instead lists eight DPSs as threatened and three DPSs as endangered (final rule). Although they find that the Hawaiian green turtle population (referred to in the final rule as the Central North Pacific population) does constitute a DPS, they do not find that removing this population from the ESA is warranted. All green sea turtles in the Pacific Islands Region are protected by the ESA and remain protected under the final rule.