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Figure 1. Map of Uruguay and study areas. Barra del Chuy (9), La Coronilla (8), Santa Teresa (7), Punta del Diablo(6), Barra de Valizas (5), Cabo Polonio (4), La Paloma (3), Barra de Maldonado(2) and Piriapoli (1).

As yet, knowledge of the sea turtles in Uruguayan waters is based on anecdotal observations of turtles at sea, marine turtle strandings and reports regarding interactions with fisheries. These are summarised below:

Green Turtles:
The locations with large numbers of sightings are at Barra del Chuy, La Coronilla, Santa Teresa, Punta del Diablo, Barra de Valizas, Cabo Polonio, La Paloma, Barra de Maldonado and Piriapolis (see Figure 1; Garat, pers.comm.).

These localities are in the State of Rocha on the Atlantic Coast except Piriapolis which is in the Maldonado State. It is thought that all turtles observed are juveniles. Individuals are seen close inshore where there are large algal beds on which it is likely that these turtles feed.

In October 1997, in the locality of Cerro Verde, Rocha, the illegal capture of 3 juvenile green turtles in a net was reported (Pablo Fallabrino, pers.comm.). The capture occurred inside Santa Teresa National Park.

Leatherback and Loggerhead Turtles:
Both of these species are found stranded on the Uruguayan coast and are caught in marine fisheries. Three recent strandings of leatherback turtles have been reported. The first was in November 1997 in the locality of Playa Grande in the Santa Teresa National Park. The carcass was highly decomposed and measured 157 cm curve carapace length and 117 cm curved carapace width. The second stranding occurred in March 1998 in the locality of Piriapolis, Maldonado State (Tamara Ronqui, pers.comm.); and the third an adult female was found on April 9, 1998 near La Barra (Juan Hernandorena, pers.comm.). These strandings may be related to incidental capture occurring in Uruguayan waters or in nearby Brazilian waters.

Between 1994 and 1996, Achaval et al. (1998) reported a capture index of 1.8 individuals / 1000 hooks (Caretta caretta and Dermochelys coriacea) in Uruguayan waters. Of these only 1.9% were dead. The remaining 98.1% were released, but no information exists on the survival rate of these turtles since most of them had the hooks still attached (Achaval et al. 1998).

Information gathered from Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil (1997) indicates that between 70 and 75 individuals (Caretta caretta and Dermochelys coriacea) were captured by a long line ship in a 2 week period. Approximately 70% of these were loggerheads and 30% leatherback turtles (Bager pers. comm.).

Olive Ridley:
Although the occurrence of this species is suggested by the presence of carapaces from subadults (Frazier 1984), no recent strandings have been reported.

The available knowledge of the sea turtles in Uruguayan waters is scant. Without information regarding migrations, population genetics and feeding grounds, we cannot begin to understand the role of Uruguayan waters in the life cycle of marine turtles. Therefore it is imperative that such research projects are initiated. International collaboration is welcomed and viewed as essential if the conservation of these populations is to be ensured.

A first step towards this goal was achieved thanks to the support of Laura Sarti (Instituto Nacional de la Pesca, Mexico). In 1996, eight Uruguayans participated as volunteers in the leatherback monitoring programme directed by her. During such activities, the volunteers had direct contact with sea turtles, and received the necessary training for them to become sea turtle specialists of the future in Uruguay.

Acknowledgements: We want to thank Federico Achaval from the Universidad de la Republica Oriental del Uruguay and Alex Bager from the Catolic University of Pelotas, Brazil for sharing their work and experience with us. We would also like to thank Laura Sarti for the support and opportunity that she gave us and Ana Barragan for assistance with translation.

ACHAVAL, F., Y.H. MARIN, & L. C. BAREA. 1998. Incidental capture of turtles with pelagic longline. In: L. Sarti, A. Barragan, C. Suarez, G. Ramirez, and A. Abreu. (Compilers.) Proceedings of the 18th International Symposium on Sea Turtle Biology and Conservation. Mazatlán, Sinaloa, México. pp. 83-84.

FRAZIER, J. 1984. Las Tortugas Marinas en el Océano Atlántico Sur Occidental. Asociación Herpetologica Argentina. Serie Divulgacion. 2:2-21

FRAZIER, J. 1999. Guest Editorial: Update on the Inter-American Convetion for the Protection and Conservation of Sea Turtles. Marine Turtle Newsletter 84:1-3