GPZ_-_Rancho_Nuevo_STSSN_SOW_FY16.pdf

STATEMENT OF WORK

for the Procurement of Services for

Project Title: Conduct Sea Turtle Stranding Surveys Year-Round at the Principal Nesting

Beaches of the Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtle (Lepidochelys kempii) in Tamaulipas, Mexico

Background: In the U.S., an active and organized sea turtle stranding network has been developed and continues to be improved in order to quantify the seasonality, species composition, stock structure, life history stage, sex ratio, and distribution of turtles that wash ashore dead or alive. The stranding network endeavors to identify both anthropogenic and natural casual factors of mortality with the hope of identifying mortality factors and implementing sound management and conservation measures. Due to its endangered status, strandings involving the Kemp’s ridley, Lepidochelys kempii receive a great deal of attention from federal regulatory agencies charged with enforcing the Endangered Species Act as well as fishing industry interest whose fishing activities may be affected by management actions. The epicenter of Kemp’s ridley sea turtle nesting is located between La Pesca, in the state of Tamaulipas and Lechuguillas, in the state of Veracruz, Mexico. Stranding data collected since 2001 have shown that significant strandings are occurring, both during the nesting season and throughout the remainder of the year. Stranding data, collected in a systematic manner, and over the long-term, are a source of important information to inform conservation management to address threats and to provide information on mortality factors.

The specified work will facilitate the continuation of stranding surveys on the Tamaulipas, Mexico coastline to document mortality and to evaluate potential causative factors. Annual data are needed to understand the level of sea turtle strandings and to evaluate the trend(s) in strandings. Prior to the initiation of stranding surveys in Mexico in 2001, data in Mexico were anecdotal at best and were only recorded during the months of nesting activity at the principal nesting beaches, and then, only when time permitted. Mexico implements a shrimp closure which coincides with the Kemp’s ridley nesting season so that this period likely represents low levels of sea turtle strandings.

Objectives: Conduct year-round, sea turtle stranding surveys along the Tamaulipas coastline of Mexico. Ensure that accurate location and detailed stranding data are collected for each documented stranding. Enhance knowledge of mortality factors operating on the population through thorough documentation and reporting of results, including necropsy data as practicable.

Description of Work

1. Conduct patrols three times/week from the Tepehuajes, Rancho Nuevo, Barra del Tordo, Altamira and La Pesca camps. These patrols will cover the prime sectors of the Kemp’s ridley habitat. This work will be accomplished during the period of September 1, 2016 to August 31, 2018.

2. Patrol leaders will be permanently located at each of the five field camps and responsible for security at each of the camps to prevent vandalism which translates into annual savings to the program.

3. Collect GPS location data for each stranding location, as well as detailed biological information on each stranded turtle, including checking for internal and external tags. Complete standardized reporting forms and archive data in a database for managing stranding data.

4.. Necropsies will be performed on dead stranded sea turtles whenever practical. Carcass anomalies and potential cause(s) of death will be assessed and reported. Standardized necropsy forms will be used. Stranded turtles will be examined for external tags and scanned for the presence of PIT tags. Turtles will also be scanned for wire-coded tags when a magnetometer is available.

Deliverables

A Progress Report of activities and results will be submitted at the midpoint of the contract award and a Final Project Report will be submitted at the conclusion of the contract award. The progress report shall include quantitative data collected by the stranding network, including standard stranding forms for each turtle encountered and all necropsy results in standard format. Summary tables shall be included that tabulate strandings by species by week by geographic areas in a standard format. The final report shall include complete results and analyses, including maps of the locations of the strandings and results of PIT tag scanning and necropsies.