Nesting beach hazards Anthropogenic hazards to nesting turtles, eggs and young include egg collecting, mechanical raking, compaction of sand by vehicles and humans, wheel ruts trapping hatchlings, debris piled over nests, beach nourishment schemes, sea defence works, direct disturbance of nesting females and artificial lights which disorientate adults and hatchlings. Monitoring is a major problem. Conservation issues Recognition that they live here . People in the UK imagine turtles live elsewhere, but in fact leatherbacks are clearly a part of the fauna of the Celtic Sea, and we may even have an important summer concentration just off the edge of our continental shelf. An observer programme on such fisheries is needed.
Marine debris needs control at source.
Ingestion of plastic rubbish is a serious issue. Much marine debris is known to come from ships. Few Cornish fishing boats return plastic food packaging to shore. Oil Oil pollution undoubtedly impacts leatherback turtles. Its management is beyond the scope of this report.