Hopper Dredging Impacts on Sea Turtles on the Northern Coast of Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil

Abstract

The northern coast of the state of Rio de Janeiro, eastern Brazil, isan important nesting ground for loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta),with about 1500 nests laid annually (Lima et al. 2012). It also hosts foraging grounds for juvenile green turtles (Chelonia mydas) and serves as a migration corridor (and possibly provides foraging habitat) for olive ridley turtles (Lepidochelys olivacea) (Reis et al. 2010; TAMAR - Brazilian Sea Turtle Conservation Program database, unpublished data) and leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea) turtles (López-Mendilaharsu et al. 2009).