MEPS

Marine Ecology Progress Series

MEPS is a leading hybrid research journal on all aspects of marine, coastal and estuarine ecology. Priority is given to outstanding research that advances our ecological understanding.

Online: ISSN 1616-1599

Print: ISSN 0171-8630

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3354/meps

Impact Factor2.1 (JCR 2025 release)

Article Acceptance Rate52.2% (2024)

Average Time in Review216 days (2024)

Total Annual Downloads2.780.661 (2025)

Volume contents
Mar Ecol Prog Ser 479:235-250 (2013)

High-use areas, seasonal movements and dive patterns of juvenile loggerhead sea turtles in the Southwestern Atlantic Ocean

ABSTRACT: Characterizing the behaviors of sea turtles and identifying high-use areas as they vary in time and space is important for conservation planning, particularly when turtles overlap with fisheries that may unintentionally harm them. Between July 2006 and March 2010, 27 satellite transmitters were deployed at sea on juvenile loggerheads Caretta caretta captured as bycatch in the Uruguayan and Brazilian pelagic longline fisheries operating in the Southwestern Atlantic Ocean. Tracking duration ranged from 3 to 639 d (mean ± SD: 259 ± 159 d; n = 27), during which turtles moved between latitudes of 25 to 45°S and longitudes 35 to 54° W. High-use areas for the tracked turtles were over the continental shelf and slope within the Uruguayan, Argentinian, and Brazilian exclusive economic zones and in adjacent international waters. Diving information was available for 5 turtles. The maximum dive depth recorded varied between 100 and 300 m. Two turtles demonstrated potential bottom-feeding behaviors by diving to depths that corresponded closely with the depth of the seafloor (<200 m) at their given location. The sea surface temperature encountered by tagged turtles was on average 19.8 ± 2.3°C (range: 10.2 to 28.4°C), and turtles showed an affinity for waters supporting moderate to high primary productivity levels (0.43 ± 0.89 mg m-3 chlorophyll a). Latitudinal movements varied by season and sea surface temperature. These findings, along with those of other studies conducted in the region, demonstrate the need to strengthen ongoing collaborative efforts between neighboring countries and other international partnerships to further the research and management of sea turtles in this area.

KEYWORDS

Caren Barceló (Co-author)

  • Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Oregon State University, 104 Nash Hall, Corvallis, Oregon 97331, USA
  • Centro de Investigación y Conservación Marina (CICMAR), Av. Giannattasio km. 30,500, El Pinar, Canelones 15008, Uruguay
  • Joint Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Research, University of Hawaii, 1000 Pope Road, Honolulu, Hawaii 96822, USA

Andrés Domingo (Co-author)

  • Dirección Nacional de Recursos Acuáticos, Constituyente 1497, Montevideo 11200, Uruguay

Philip Miller (Co-author)

  • Centro de Investigación y Conservación Marina (CICMAR), Av. Giannattasio km. 30,500, El Pinar, Canelones 15008, Uruguay

Leonardo Ortega (Co-author)

  • Dirección Nacional de Recursos Acuáticos, Constituyente 1497, Montevideo 11200, Uruguay

Bruno Giffoni (Co-author)

  • Projecto TAMAR, Fundação Pró Tamar / ICMBio, Salvador, Bahia 2219, Brazil

Gilberto Sales (Co-author)

  • Projecto TAMAR, Fundação Pró Tamar / ICMBio, Salvador, Bahia 2219, Brazil

Lianne McNaughton (Co-author)

  • Joint Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Research, University of Hawaii, 1000 Pope Road, Honolulu, Hawaii 96822, USA

Maria Marcovaldi (Co-author)

  • Projecto TAMAR, Fundação Pró Tamar / ICMBio, Salvador, Bahia 2219, Brazil

Selina S. Heppell (Co-author)

  • Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Oregon State University, 104 Nash Hall, Corvallis, Oregon 97331, USA

Yonat Swimmer (Co-author)

  • NOAA Fisheries, 501 W. Ocean Blvd., 4200 Long Beach, California 90802, USA