Surface-pelagic Drift Community (Western Gulf)

Project Type(s):capture, sighting

Site Name:Surface-pelagic Drift Community (Western Gulf)

Site Reference Number:102

Region(s):

Approximate Latitude: 27.364 Approximate Longitude: -96.477

Principal Investigator(s):Ceriani, Simona A; Hardy, Robert F; Hirama, Tomo; Witherington, Blair E

Point(s) of Contact:Hardy, Robert F - Phone Number: (727) 896-8626, Email: robert.hardy@myfwc.com

Organizations Involved:

Organization Type(s):

Project Status: Active

Start Date: 8/2015

End Date: n/a

General Method(s) Used:

	Visual	Capture
Sampling regime:	opportunistically	opportunistically
Measure of effort:	obs/distance	cap/distance

Bottom Type(s):pelagic

Water Type Zone: pelagic Water Type Environment: pelagic

Min. Depth (m): 56 Max. Depth (m): 193

Mean Depth (m): 100

Species	No. of Captures	No. of Sightings	Min Size* (cm)	Max Size* (cm)	Mean Size* (cm)	FP Observed	Life Stages**	Comments
Green Turtle (Cm)	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Loggerhead (Cc)	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Kemp's Ridley (Lk)	7	1	4.3	5.1	4.7	No	O
Hawksbill (Ei)	1	0	14.9	n/r	14.9	No	O
Leatherback (Dc)	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a

*All size measurements are SSCL unless otherwise indicated
** For Cm, Cc, Lk, & Ei: O - Oceanic-stage juvenile; N - Neritic-stage juvenile; S - Subadult; A - Adult. For Dc: I - Immature; A - Adult. n/a = not applicable; n/r = not reported.

diet

This study area includes pelagic waters south of Port Aransas, Texas. It is part of a larger study of sea turtles in surface-pelagic drift communities in the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Ocean. Surface-pelagic post-hatchling and juvenile turtles inhabit surface drift-lines located in the northern Gulf of Mexico. They are observed and captured during linear transects through oceanic fronts, slicks, windrows, Sargassum patches, and other drift material. Transects take place seasonally, principally July to October, during periods of calm sea state (Beaufort force 0-3). Capture rates (turtles per time, distance, or area) of post-hatchling turtles are highest for transects in Atlantic shelf waters near the Gulf Stream. Capture rates of small juveniles are highest for transects in the Gulf of Mexico 40-70 NM from Florida. All Kemp’s ridleys captured so far have been from the Gulf of Mexico. Behavioral measurements and diet analysis suggest that loggerhead post-hatchlings are float-and-wait foragers of mainly animal material, with a diet that includes mostly neuston from the Sargassum community, pleuston, jellies, and drift carrion.

No documents uploaded.