Florida Legislature Passes Resolution Recognizing the Severity of a Disease Threatening Endangered Sea Turtles; Urges More Studies into the Problem

In the final week of the 1998 Florida Legislative Session, state lawmakers passed a resolution recognizing the serious threat that a spreading disease (fibropapillomatosis) poses to the survival of the state's endangered sea turtles. The resolution, which also encourages that more funding and attention be directed at studying the causes of the disease, was written and promoted by the Sea Turtle Survival League (STSL).

The STSL is the same group that coordinated the successful effort to establish Florida's sea turtle specialty license plate in 1997, and sponsors of the resolution included the two legislators who introduced the bills creating the new turtle tag -- Senator Howard Forman (D-Hollywood) and Representative Debbie Horan (D-Key West).

Fibropapillomatosis, or paps, is a disease that is killing sea turtles around the world. It is found most commonly in green turtles, and has been reported in Brazil, Hawaii, Australia and Florida. The disease primarily attacks juvenile green turtles, but is now being found on loggerheads in Florida. While the exact cause of paps is not known, many researchers agree the recent spread of the disease is linked to pollution in nearshore waters.

Very high rates of the disease are being found on turtles in Indian River Lagoon, which is located on Florida's east central coast near the Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge. Dr. Llew Ehrhart, University of Central Florida, now finds tumors on 40-60 percent of the juvenile greens that he and his students catch in the lagoon. Because the lagoon is such an important developmental habitat for young turtles from both Florida and other Caribbean nesting beaches, the STSL and others are very concerned with the spread of the disease in this area.

The STSL got the idea for the resolution from a similar measure passed in Hawaii last year. "We just hope the resolution will help raise awareness about this increasing threat to sea turtle survival among decision-makers, state officials and the general public," said Dan Evans, Coordinator of the STSL. The STSL is also hoping the resolution will help direct more state and federal funding toward research into the disease.

Below is a copy of the resolution:

Legislative Resolution No. 2676

A resolution recognizing the importance of research into the preservation of Florida's sea turtles.

WHEREAS, Florida's waters are home to a number of species of sea turtles, including the green sea turtle and the loggerhead sea turtle, all of which are listed by the state and the Federal Government as threatened or endangered, and

WHEREAS, although identified as threatened or endangered, and thereby protected by law, Florida's sea turtles continue to face a host of threats to their survival, and

WHEREAS, the green sea turtle and loggerhead sea turtle are currently victims of fibropapilloma, a fatal disease of unknown cause, which is at epidemic levels in certain areas of Florida, and the seriousness of this disease has been amply attested by wildlife and sea turtle biologists, whose research efforts have been documented in several reports and papers, and

WHEREAS, the National Marine Fisheries Service has established a Sea Turtle Recovery Plan for both green sea turtles and loggerhead sea turtles and is working with the Department of Environmental Protection in tagging, releasing, and recovering both green and loggerhead sea turtles and assisting in the disposal of diseased and dead turtles, and

WHEREAS, despite some fibropapilloma research, much more is required in order to effectively protect both the green sea turtle and the loggerhead sea turtle,

NOW, THEREFORE, Be It Resolved by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

That the Legislature recognizes that fibropapilloma is indeed a serious threat to the survival of the state's green sea turtles and loggerhead sea turtles, both protected by state and federal law, and urges that research into the preservation of these species be viewed as a matter of pressing concern.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this resolution be dispatched to the National Marine Fisheries Service, the Department of Environmental Protection, and the Florida Marine Research Institute.