Editor, Indian Ocean Turtle Newsletter
iotn.editors@gmail.com
I hope that everyone has enjoyed a safe and healthy return to their usual sea turtle activities to date in 2022! As stakeholders in sea turtle research and conservation return to the field, IOTN36 brings to you articles about entanglement of olive ridley turtles in the Lakshadweeps and conservation activities on the Puducherry coast of India. A research summary spotlights two recently published papers highlighting advances and knowledge gaps in sea turtle research in the north-western and western Indian Ocean, and will be of interest to IOTN readers associated with the sub-regions and those wishing to stay informed about publications relevant to the wider Indian Ocean region encompassed by IOTN publications. There are two review articles: the first reviewing the impacts of sea turtle conservation on fisher communities in India, and the second summarising the roles of sea turtles in ecosystem processes and services. Review articles provide an insight into more focused topics and issues and can be of particular interest to early career professionals and educators.
It was good to see researchers from the region at the recent online 40th International Sea Turtle Symposium; be sure to read the Announcement at the end of this issue about the 41st Symposium, to be finally held in Cartagena in 2023 after needing to be postponed in March 2020. Safe travels to those who plan to attend.
In other news from the region, the 2021 Marine Turtle Specialist Group Regional Report for the Middle East and South Asia is available online (https://www.iucnmtsg.org/regional-reports), as are reports from the 3rd Meeting of the Northern Indian Ocean Marine Turtle Task Force and the 1st Sub-Regional Meeting of tthe North-Western Indian Ocean are on the IOSEA MoU site (https://www.cms.int/iosea-turtles/en). The recent Assessment of the Conservation Status of the Hawksbill Turtle in the Indian Ocean and South-East Asia Region is also on the ISOEA MoU website.
OTHER USEFUL RESOURCES