POST-NESTING RECOVERY OF TAGGED FEMALE BLACK-SEA TURTLES (CHELONIA-AGASSIZII) IN MICHOACAN, MEXICO

Between August 1981 and December 1987, 5176 black sea turtles (Chelonia agassizii) were tagged at the East Pacific rookeries of Colola and Maruata, Michoacan, Mexico. These two beaches are the most important continental areas for nesting and breeding for this species. Turtles were marked with metal and/or plastic tags on the flippers. As of December 1988, 47 recoveries farther than 100 km of the nesting area were documented. Most of the recoveries (28, 60%) were from south of Mexico, mainly from El Salvador (18, 38%) and Guatemala (6, 13%). Two were reported from Nicaragua, one from Costa Rica and one turtle was recovered as far south as Colombia. Nineteen recoveries were documented from Mexican waters, principally from the Gulf of California and adjacent waters. The remainder were from south of the nesting area, mainly from the Coast of Oaxaca. Of the 32 cases in which the circumstances of recapture were documented, 27 (84%) were incidental catches of which 14 (44%) were by fishing boats. In five cases the turtle was caught intentionally, four with gillnets and one was speared by divers. The extensive post-nesting dispersion of the black turtle involving the territorial waters of seven nations along more than 5000 km of coastline calls for a comprehensive international program for the conservation and research of this turtle in the East Pacific.