Human activities and natural events: impacts on Gulf of Mexico sea turtles

Abstract

My feeling is that loggerheads (Caretta caretta) and possibly hawksbills (Eretmochelys imbricata)
in the southern Gulf are actually attracted to hard substrate and that the placement of oil and gas
exploration/production platforms and stone jetties in the Gulf of Mexico has actually created habitat
for these species. The fact that so many loggerheads use the Flower Gardens Banks supports this
natural attraction. What is frustrating is that, despite several years of studies, we still know very little
about what these turtles are doing, when they use the platforms, what they eat and what their long
term migration patterns are. Rig removals can be a problem for the turtles; however, my impression
is that several good protocols have been developed which save turtles each year. The