The Indian Ocean Turtle Newsletter was initiated to provide a forum for exchange of information on sea turtle biology and conservation, management and education and awareness activities in the Indian subcontinent, Indian Ocean region, and South/Southeast Asia. The newsletter also intends to cover related aspects such as coastal zone management, fisheries and marine biology.

The objectives of the newsletter are:

• To serve as a forum for discussing issues regarding the conservation and management of sea turtles and their habitats in south Asia and the Indian ocean;
• To disseminate information in a timely manner about sea turtles and their habitats to Government Departments and other involved government agencies, voluntary organizations, NGOs, Fisheries cooperatives, community groups, universities and students as well as other institutions and individuals involved with the conservation and management of sea turtles and their habitats;
• To provide a mechanism through which awareness about the status of sea turtles and their habitats can be disseminated to a wide audience;
• To communicate with the international community (researchers, conservation organisations, and other interested parties outside the region of study) about sea turtle related activity in South Asia and the Indian Ocean region.

The newsletter is distributed free of cost to a network of government and non-government organisations and individuals in the region. All articles are also freely available in PDF and HTML formats on this website. Readers can submit names and addresses of individuals, NGOs, research institutions, schools and colleges, etc. for inclusion in the mailing list.

The Indian Ocean Turtle Newsletter is managed by Dakshin Foundation and supported by Madras Crocodile Bank Trust, International Sea Turtle Society, and the Marine Turtle Conservation Fund of the US Fish and Wildlife Service.