turtle conservation fund > funded projects

. United Kingdom .

Marine Environmental Research marine surveys
For a number of years now the Marine Environmental Research vessel, Forever Changes, has been surveying the seas off the south west of the UK for basking sharks. For the past two seasons, with support from MCS, the crew has also been recording any turtle encounters as well as all marine litter, fishing activity and jellyfish. Leatherbacks are rarely sighted, but through this project we are able to gather a great deal of information about the environmental factors that may impact on them or influence their distribution. (TCF funded in 2003)

University of Wales Swansea satellite tagging project
This project aims to find out just how important temperate seas, like ours, are to leatherback turtles. The project team headed by Dr Graeme Hays from the University of Wales, Swansea and Ocean Spirits, Grenada placed satellite tags on nesting leatherback turtles in 2003 and are now tracking their Atlantic migration. (TCF funded from 2002 to 2003)

Observing leatherbacks and jellyfish in Carmarthen Bay
In 2004 MCS will also be funding the University’s investigations into the ecology of leatherbacks while they visit UK seas. Through our support, Dr Hays will charter a boat to survey jellyfish distribution in Carmarthen Bay and, in conjunction with spotter plane surveys, locate foraging leatherbacks and observe their behaviour.