Monitoring green turtle population dynamics in Shoalwater Bay : 2000-2004

The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA) and the Queensland Environmental Protection Agency (QEPA) are pleased to publish this report on the monitoring of a foraging ground population for the southern Great Barrier Reef green turtle genetic stock. The Queensland Conservation Project of the QEPA continues to provide the only source of long term monitoring data on marine turtles in Queensland. The monitoring reported in this publication highlights the importance of collecting data from populations in habitats that are minimally impacted from human activities. The area of Shoalwater Bay has been consistently recognised for its importance to marine turtles, in addition to other wildlife such as dugongs and migratory birds. The relatively un-impacted catchment and inaccessibility of the region to major urban centres offers protection for the Shoalwater Bay region and to the wildlife that inhabit the location.