Endangered Mediterranean Green Sea Turtle Lives Offshore Troubled Libya

A new study identifies the marine habitats that are crucial to survival of the Mediterranean green turtle. This study, Migratory corridors and foraging hotspots: critical habitats identified for Mediterranean green turtle, is by K. L. Stokes^, et al.  It is published in Diversity and Distributions: A Journal of Conservation Biogeography.  According to this article, more than 50 percent of the turtles migrated to live and feed in the shallow expanses of sea off the Libyan coast. Libya is a country in turmoil, which makes conservation of the turtle and preservation of its habitat especially difficult. The article’s abstract follows:

ONMS/NOAA Seek Comment and Hold Public Meetings on EIS Scoping for Flower Garden Banks Boundaries

The U.S. Office of National Marine Sanctuaries (“ONMS”), National Ocean Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (“NOAA”), Department of Commerce, has published its notice of intent to revise boundaries and intent to prepare an environmental impact statement for revision of Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary boundaries.

ONMS proposes these actions in accordance in accordance with section 304(e) of the National Marine Sanctuaries Act, as amended. It is based a recommendation contained within the Sanctuary Expansion Action Plan of the FGBNMS Management Plan (April
2012).