A top down view of a green turtle swimming above a seagrass meadow

Protecting turtles

    Threats to marine turtles

    Decades of over-harvesting and exploitation have decimated marine turtle populations around the world. Other threats include:

    • Incidental capture – turtles are often accidentally caught in fishing equipment such as long-line hooks or gill nets
    • Habitat loss – industrial development and tourism can reduce the quality of feeding and and nesting grounds
    • Climate change – turbulent weather, rising sea levels and increased temperatures are impacting turtle and their habitats
    • Predation – while turtles have natural predators such as crabs, birds and sharks, introduced species such as feral pigs and dogs can take a great toll on turtle eggs and hatchings
    • Pollution – turtles confuse plastic bags as their food source jellyfish, with many dying through ingesting this and other marine litter.

    Conservation and restoration

    The 14 UK Overseas Territories are a fascinating and diverse set of islands. Through various projects, we're supporting our UKOT partners in the protection and management of their fragile environments and species. Our projects in the British Virgin Islands, Turks and Caicos, and Montserrat work alongside local communities to develop management and conservation measures to ensure a future for these incredible species.

    For over a decade, we've been working with communities to develop a shared appreciation and deeper understanding of the all the ways in which the ocean benefits them. We use the Community Voice Method to understand the values and views people have of turtles in the UK Overseas Territories which helps us shape management and conservation measures that work for everyone.

    Turtles in Turks and Caicos

    The Turks and Caicos Islands Turtle Project is a longstanding initiative to improve the management of the islands’ traditional marine turtle fishery.

    Working with initially skeptical turtle fishing communities, we helped to create new regulations with balanced and fair recommendations to improve the sustainability of the turtle fishery.

    Learn about our turtle tagging project in Turks and Caicos
    A green turtle

    A green turtle  |  Image credit: Peter Richardson

    Turtles in The Virgin Islands

    We’re working with communities in The Virgin Islands to develop a sea turtle recovery action plan to safeguard turtles and their habitats for future generations.

    The islands are surrounded by reefs, seagrass beds and mangroves, which are home to green and hawksbill turtles, as well as the occasional loggerhead. Although regional populations are recovering thanks to conservation efforts, turtle numbers are believed to have declined.

    Discover our work in the Virgin Islands
    A loggerhead turtle swimming along the seabed. Behind it is a diver.

    A loggerhead turtle swimming along the seabed  |  Image credit: Nat Taylor

    Turtles in Montserrat

    The island of Montserrat is an important nesting site for marine turtles in the Eastern Caribbean. Along with our local partners, we’re helping to recover and manage these populations.

    Since violent volcanic eruptions between 1995 and 1997 destroyed the capital Plymouth, Montserrat has been focused on recovery and rebuilding. Turtle conservation may be a small issue compared with other challenges, but ecotourism has an important part to play in many peoples’ vision for the future.

    Find out about our work in Montserrat
    A hawksbill turtle swimming over a reef in the Caribbean UKOTs

    A hawksbill turtle swimming over a reef in the Caribbean UKOTs  |  Image credit: Peter Richardson

    What you can do

    A scene showing an underwater/surface split with a moon jellyfish below the water and scenes of Loch Leven's surrounding hills above. The sky is thick with cloud.

    Report a marine turtle sighting

    We want to hear about the wildlife you spot at the coast and at sea, especially marine turtles and jellyfish in UK and Irish waters.
    A green sea turtle swimming along the Great Barrier Reef off Australia. The turtle is looking and swimming toward the camera.

    Find out about turtles in the UK

    Marine turtles have been around for millions of years and play a vital role in balancing marine ecosystems, especially controlling jellyfish numbers.