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However, recognizing that sea turtles are a shared resource, collective and synergistic action amongst governments to address the myriad of threats faced by sea turtles as they migrate between foraging and nesting grounds within the region has been limited. Although national monitoring programmes have been initiated and progressed impressively, the general lack of capacity in the region in terms of resources and personnel skills to implement specific research, management and conservation activities has hampered progress towards effectively implementing regional level conservation measures. Furthermore, the lack of systematic and standardized methodologies has made it difficult to quantify regional scale trends in sea turtle population dynamics or the impact of conservation efforts on shared turtle populations.

With this in mind, Kenya Wildlife Services (KWS) and the Kenya Sea Turtle Conservation Committee (KESCOM) proposed to host a regional workshop to develop and discuss possible areas of regional collaboration in research and management. The workshop which was held in Mombasa, Kenya from 16th to 17th September 2004 was jointly supported by WIOMSA, IUCN, WWF, CMS, and WCS. Fifty seven participants from 7 of 9 nations in the Western Indian Ocean Region (Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, Seychelles, South Africa, Tanzania and Reunion) attended the workshop.

National representatives presented an overview on the current status of marine turtle conservation in their respective countries. The presentations highlighted the extensive issues that concern research, conservation and management of marine turtles in the WIO region. Dr. Jack Frazier’s keynote presentation highlighting the historical perspectives on sea turtle research, conservation and management in the region provided a comprehensive background for the national status presentations. Among key issues discussed during the meeting was the standardization of flipper tag codes, establishment of a regional marine turtle database, and prioritization of research and capacity building needs for the region.

Through working groups, participants further identified mechanisms that will advance the successful implementation of past and current initiatives for regional collaboration; a culmination of which was the development of regional concept proposal. The proposal aims to enhance fundraising mechanisms for the
implementation of prioritized research and conservation actions, enhancement of capacity and strengthening of international linkages.

Guided by the recommendations made during the Fourth Meeting of the Contracting Parties to the Nairobi Convention to “take action to conserve sea turtles in the Convention area, including joining the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals, and participating in activities under the CMS Memorandum of Understanding on the conservation and management of marine turtles and their habitats in the Indian Ocean and South-East Asia (IOSEA)”, the workshop participants agreed that the IOSEA Marine Turtle MoU (Hykle 2000) provides an excellent working framework for regional collaboration which has been signed by most of the WIO States that is specific to the conservation of marine turtles.

Participants recognized that the Nairobi Convention provides additional political and potential financial support for implementation of the IOSEA MoU within the region and further agreed to the establishment of a WIO-IOSEA Marine Turtle Task Force which will be nested under the Nairobi Convention, with the explicit purpose of facilitating implementation of the IOSEA Marine Turtle MoU,
as well as contributing to fulfilling the general work programmes of the Nairobi Convention. The Taskforce will forge a unique and unprecedented link between two significant legal agreements that promote the conservation of marine turtles in the Western Indian Ocean region thereby strengthening the conservation of sea turtles in the region.

A proposal for interim recognition of the WIO-IOSEA Marine Turtle Taskforce was suggested to be presented at the next meeting of Nairobi Convention Focal Points for formal confirmation at the meeting of the Conference of the Parties (in late 2006). The Task Force will be comprised of IOSEA Focal Points (where they have already been appointed) and other officials from countries that have yet to sign the IOSEA MoU, ex-officio members from selected international nongovernmental organizations (e.g. IUCN, WIOMSA, WCS, WWF), and observers from other stakeholder organizations.

As agreed by the participants the mandate of the Taskforce will be to review and implement specific activities of the IOSEA Conservation and Management Plan, to identify and prioritize future work, to foster coordination of regional monitoring activities, and to provide advice on other matters as appropriate. Vital to the success of the Taskforce is the national commitment to enhance regional collaboration at all levels including governments, international and local NGOs, national sea turtle committees and local sea turtle conservation groups. With this process in place, it is hoped that regional collaborative activities that promote the survival of our shared marine turtle populations will be successfully enhanced. The proceedings of the workshop are currently in preparation for publication supported by New Partnership for African Development
(NEPAD). Another key output from the workshop is the drafting of an in-depth status report focusing on the current progress in sea turtle research, conservation and management in the region. We sincerely thank all who contributed towards the success of the workshop.

AL-GHAIS S. M. & J. FRAZIER. 2001. Workshop on Marine Turtles in the Western Indian Ocean. Marine Turtle Newsletter 92:17-25.

HUMPHREY, S. L. & R. V. SALM (eds.) 1996. Status of sea turtle conservation in the Western Indian Ocean. Proceedings of the Western Indian Ocean training workshop and strategic planning session on sea turtles, held in Sodwana Bay, South Africa, November 12-18, 1995.

IUCN/UNEP Regional Seas Reports and Studies no. 165.162 pp.

HYKLE, D. 2000. Indian Ocean South East Asia Marine Turtle MoU concluded under CMS. Marine Turtle Newsletter 90:21-24.

IUCN (The World Conservation Union). 1996. A Marine Turtle Conservation Strategy and Action Plan for the Western Indian Ocean. International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources; Nairobi and Washington D. C. 24 pp.

WAMUKOYA, G. M. & R. V. SALM (eds.). 1998. Report of the Western Indian Ocean Turtle Excluder Device (TED) training workshop. IUCN, Nairobi, Kenya and Washington D. C. 30 pp.