5. Boat Strike5. Boat Strike

5. Boat Strike

Marine turtle mortality due to boat strike has been identified as an issue in Queensland waters, principally in Moreton Bay and Hervey Bay. The need to restrict boat speed in areas of important marine turtle habitat is identified (Table 12) and opportunities for awareness raising and educative activities with boat users should be utilised.

The Marine Parks (Moreton Bay) Zoning Plan 1997 allows for the designation of turtle and dugong areas where a person must not (a) operate a speedboat in a planing or non-displacement mode; or (b) operate a boat, hovercraft or personal watercraft in a way or at a speed that could reasonably be expected to result in the striking of a sea turtle or dugong.

Marine turtles are vulnerable to boat strikes when at the surface to breathe and rest between dives. This is particularly an issue in waters adjacent to large urban populations (Limpus and Reimer 1994) where there are large numbers of boats and other pleasure craft. Data from beach-washed marine turtles can be used to identify areas and seasons where boat strike is significant.

Marine turtles suffering from disease or parasites may be debilitated, spending more time on the surface and taking shallower dives with longer post-dive resting periods. In such cases they are more exposed to boat strikes. Post- mortem examinations of boat-struck marine turtles may not identify the underlying cause of the death particularly if parasites or disease have debilitated the turtle. Veterinary pathologists should be used to establish the cause of death where their services are available.

The marine turtle populations affected by boat strike have been identified as: loggerhead turtles from the eastern Australian population; green turtles from the southern Great Barrier Reef population; hawksbill turtles from the north- eastern Australian populations; and flatback turtles from Queensland.

Table 12. Actions to mitigate incidental mortality and monitor the boat strike of marine turtles