Tuesday Night Talk: Nova Scotia Vessels as Research Platforms: The Sea Turtle Story

Canadian waters are home to seasonal populations of endangered sea turtles.

In fact, waters off Atlantic Canada are among the most important in the world for leatherback sea turtles. These tropical turtles come here from their nesting grounds in Central and South America to feed and grow fat on jellyfish.
The greatest threat to leatherback survival in Canadian waters is accidental entanglement in commercial fishing gear. This is why the Canadian Sea Turtle Network (CSTN) has worked closely for 25 years with commercial fishermen. They are on the front lines with sea turtles and are, therefore, the greatest hope for keeping these animals safe in Canadian waters.

Our partnership with members of the fishing industry has helped us achieve remarkable things, broadening the world’s understanding of this species.
Key to our research at sea has been fishing boats particular to Nova Scotia’s lobster, snow crab and swordfish industries. This talk will look at the relationship between these vessels and sea turtle research in Canadian waters, as well as some of the findings they have helped facilitate.

Kathleen Martin is a founding member of the Canadian Sea Turtle Network (CSTN) and is its executive director. In addition to her work helping lead the CSTN and her love of sea turtles, she is particularly interested in how communication affects conservation, as well as the link between conservation and economic development. She holds degrees in English literature from the University of Toronto (Hon. B.A. with Distinction) and Queen’s University (M.A.). She is the author of eight books for young people.

The Canadian Sea Turtle Network is a charitable organization involving scientists, commercial fishermen, and coastal community members that works to conserve endangered sea turtles in Canadian waters and worldwide. The group won the Gold Canadian Environment Award for Conservation.

Tuesday Night Talks is open to everyone. We offer free admission from 4 pm - 8 pm. Donations to Feed Nova Scotia are welcome.