A Turtle satellite tagging workshop was held at the Tanoa International Hotel from the 1st – 3rd of Feb, 2010.
The workshop was organized by the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) in collaboration with the World Wild Fund for nature(WWF) and MES. The purpose of the workshop was to understand the importance of Turtle Research and Monitoring Database System (TREDS) and how it is implemented in the South Pacific.
Secondly, to learn more about turtle satellite tagging with the method used and how we can monitor the turtle movement in terms of their nesting and foraging. The workshop was attended by participants from other Pacific countries, local NGO’s, Department of Fisheries and community representatives. Participants were able to grasp the concept well during the training.
Turtle Research and Monitoring Database System (TREDS) provide invaluable information for Pacific island countries and territories to manage their turtle resources and can be used to collate data from strandings, tagging, nesting, emergence and beach surveys as well as other biological data on turtles. TREDS can also be used to monitor and sustainably manage marine turtle populations as well as their nesting and foraging sites.
This database is currently being trialed in Samoa, American Samoa, Vanuatu, French Polynesia and Fiji. We satellite tagged a green nester who came all the way from Vanua Levu. She was named Lady Nakalou (after her village) and released at Wailoaloa beach, Nadi. We will be monitoring her movements and keeping you updated on her whereabouts.
