Virgin Islands Turtle Programme (VIMAT)

3/19/2012
Conservation &
Fisheries Department
(Ministry of Natural Resources and Labour)
British Virgin Islands (BVI)
Mr. Joel Dore
VIMAT Turtle Project Coordinator
\ Marine Biologist Assistant
British Virgin Islands (BVI)
18ON, 64OE
British Virgin Islands
18ON, 64OE
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3/19/2012
Virgin Islands Marine Turtle Programme
(VIMAT)
VIMAT
The “British Virgin Islands (BVI) Turtle Project”, now “Virgin Islands Marine
Turtle Proramme” was started in 2002 as part of the TCOT Project, where
the main objective was to “Assess the impact on marine turtle populations of
harvesting - legal and illegal, targeted and non-targeted - in UK Overseas
Territories (OT's)”
VIMAT Goals
To determine the abundance & distribution
of the marine turtle population in the BVI.
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The BVI’s In-water
Tagging/Monitoring History.
The British Virgin Islands In-water Turtle
Tagging/Monitoring Programme started as a continuation
of the TCOT Project, that was carried out in 2002 in the UK
Overseas Territories (OT’s).
How did the programme got started?
•CITES
- UK signatory of CITES
- Cuba wanted to export turtles
Site Selection & Sampling
SITE SELECTION
 When selecting sites there are a number of factors to
consider?
 Access
 Weather
 Knowledge of turtles in given area
IMPORTANT!
 Obtain information from local fisher folks about known fishing areas
SAMPLING
Sampling is based on the program's objectives
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Data
 Analysis of data could determine
Distribution
Abundance
Growth Rates
Migrations patterns
Information gathered from data
(BVI)
 Through the observation of the recorded data we’ve
been able to indentify:
 Hot spots
 Growth rates
 Local migratory patterns
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Example of tagging
sites, FPAs and MPAs
Monitoring Effort
 VIMAT (BVI)
 Turtle monitoring is done once or twice a week but is
typically based on weather conditions and availability of
monitoring resources.
 Coral reef monitoring is very limited , it is usually done
on an as needed basis; but is annually monitored by a
local group that carries out the “ReefCheck” protocol.
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Marine Protected Areas (MPAs)
 In the BVI, under the National Parks Systems
Plan, there are Fishery Protected Areas (FPAs)
and Marine Protected Areas (MPAs)
 Selecting sites for MPAs were dependent
upon extensive stakeholders meetings, the
completion of the MARXAN Programme, and
habitat mapping (grounding and bleaching).
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Management Mandate
 Conservation and Fisheries Department, (under the
Ministry of Natural Resources and Labour) is the
agency responsible for all marine monitoring in the
Territory.
 Monitoring is conducted with the aid of local
legislations and regulations.
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In-Water Tagging Update Report
700
600
500
400
Green Turtle
300
Hawksbill Turtle
200
100
0
Year Ending
2010
Year ending 2010 we had an increase
of: 26 Green totaling 276 recorded
34 Hawksbills totaling 558 recorded
Year Ending
2011
Year ending 2011 we had an increase
of: 44 Green totaling 320 recorded
44 Hawksbills totaling 602 recorded
Total tagged Turtles year ending 2011 = 922 Animals
Leatherback Nesting Activity Update
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011
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Example of tagging
sites, FPAs and MPAs
Our Partners and Funding
 BVI Tourist Board – Using Turtles as a eco amenity to our
tourism product, while raising awareness and funds.
 Summer Sailing Programmes/Companies
-These companies are science
scholarship based programmes that
occur over the summer break. They assist us with the
In-water Tagging Programme.
 Funding is obtained from our Local Government and
Summer Sailing Programmes.
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What VIMAT has been doing?
Education & Awareness
Future Projection
 In ten (10) years we expect that VIMAT will be
removed from the Conservation and Fisheries
Department and turned into a Non-Government
Agency (NGOs).
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Networking Strengths
 Being a member of WIDECAST has provided regional
collaboration on best practices and ideas for improving of
our local Programme.
Any Questions?
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