The Program Committee will select abstracts submitted in the following categories:

 

Climate Change.

Regional studies ranging on a wide breadth of climate change issues including global warming, increasing beach temperatures, sea level rise, drastic changes in weather, changing sex ratios and beach restoration.

 

Historic Cold Stunning Event 2021.

Updates on impacts from the historic cold stunning events from 2021 including preparation for future cold stunning events, identifying stranding network needs, Federal resources (i.e., NOAA and USFWS): physiological impact of cold stunning; medical and treatment of cold stunned sea turtles; modeling and prediction of cold stun events; summary of cold stun stranding, and rehabilitation

 

Sea Turtle Science, Recovery and Conservation in the North Gulf of Mexico.

The latest work on recovering sea turtle population in the northern Gulf of Mexico and the importance of non-government organizations and volunteer groups in sea turtle conservation.

 

Sea Turtle Education & Outreach.

A focus on the impact, needs, and trends of sea turtle educational outreach programs.

 

Research Priorities for Management of Cold-Stun, Red-Tide and COVID-19 events.

An assessment of research needed to address future management challenges.

 

Sea Turtles of the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.

An update on the biology, conservation and current state of sea turtles from this region of the world.

 

Coastal restoration and Related Ecosystems and Species.

A focus on sea turtle related ecosystems, restored ecosystems (dune restoration) and the assemblage of species (e.g., beach mice) that influence sea turtle nesting habitat.

 

Genetics.

The latest information regarding genetics of all sea turtles in the S.E. United States. including green sea turtles of the western Gulf of Mexico.

 

Atlantic Coast Kemp’s ridley sea turtles.

A summary of increasing trends in nesting, population size and habitat use on the Atlantic coast.

 

Microplastics.

Recent developments to assess the impact of microplastic pollution in its broadest sense from beach and in-water habitats to microplastics found in necropsies and washback hatchlings.

 

Natural History and Biology of S.E. United States Sea Turtles.

The latest research on sea turtle natural history, biology, and conservation in the region.

 

Health, Disease and Rehabilitation.  

Innovation, trends, and updates on sea turtle rehabilitation, fibropapillomatosis, and health issues facing sea turtles in the region.

 

Leatherback Conservation.

Updates on science and conservation of leatherback sea turtles in the southeast U.S.

 

Trophic Ecology using Stable Isotopes.

This session will focus on the trophic ecology and the latest technological methods for quantifying foraging behavior in sea turtles.