Limpus and Miller., 2008:

"The northern Great Barrier Reef, Torres Strait and eastern Arnhem Land support one of the most significant E. imbricata nesting populations in the world. The Great Barrier Reef with its great herds of foraging E. imbricata is a major foraging area for the species within the south-western Pacific Ocean. A 3% rate of decline in the nesting population in parallel with > 20% proportion of first time breeding females in the population are clear warning signals that the north Queensland E.imbricata nesting population has a significant conservation management problem. The most obvious large source of mortality that can be identified to this stock is the continuing substantial harvest of E. imbricata for food and tortoiseshell in the broader Coral Sea region.

Milman Island was maintained as the representative long-term census study site for E.imbricata within the north-eastern Australian stock. 2027 nesting females were tagged during the 10 years of the total study.  Based on the 10 years of census data, the E. imbricata nesting population is in decline, decreasing at 3% per year."

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Citation and/or URL

Limpus, C.J. & Miller, J.D. 2008, Australian Hawksbill Turtle Population Dynamics Project. Research Publication Queensland Environmental Protection Agency, Brisbane, 130p. 

Spatial Coverage

Northern Great Barrier Reef, Torres Strait and Eastern Arnhem Land

Temporal Coverage

15 years

Update Frequency

Not applicable 

Other Information

None