RELEASE AND RECAPTURE OF CAPTIVE-REARED GREEN SEA-TURTLES, CHELONIA-MYDAS, IN THE WATERS SURROUNDING THE CAYMAN-ISLANDS

Cayman Turtle Farm released 26,995 yearling and hatchling green sea tu rtles. Chelonia mydas, into the waters surrounding the Cayman Islands, between 1980 and 199 1. Released turtles were the offspring of the fa rm's captive breeding colony. Tagged turtles were regularly recaptured and re-released locally and demonstrated growth rates of 3.0 kg/year. With turtles recaptured from other regions of the Caribbean, recaptur e rate for turtles released as yearlings was 4.1%. 66% of the locally recaptured turtles were infected with cutaneous fibropapillomas, a con dition increasingly observed among turtle populations worldwide.