Two hundred years after a commercial marine turtle fishery: the current status of marine turtles nesting in the Cayman Islands

Large populations of marine turtles breeding in the Cayman Islands were dra stically reduced in the early 1800s. However, marine turtle nesting still o ccurs in the islands. The present-day status of this nesting population pro vides insight into the conservation of marine turtles, a long-lived species . In 1998 and 1999, the first systematic survey of marine turtle nesting in the Cayman Islands found 38 nests on 22 beaches scattered through the thre e islands. Three species were found: the green Chelonia mydas, hawksbill Er etmochelys imbricata and loggerhead Caretta caretta turtles. Comparison wit h other rookeries suggests that the small number of sexually mature adults surviving Cayman's huge perturbations may be impeding population recovery. This shows the need to implement conservation measures prior to massive red uctions in population size.