Implementation of a groundbreaking sea turtle-protection treaty in the Americas proceeds apace, but a call for immediate action on behalf of the beleaguered leatherback turtle has been tabled. At the Conference of the Parties of the Inter-American Convention for the Protection and Conservation of Sea Turtles (IAC), held here Aug. 6-8, the Costa Rican delegation introduced a resolution stating that “the Parties’ highest priority must be to seek immediate solutions and take actions to reverse the extinction trajectory of the Pacific leatherback sea turtle.” The measure called specifically for the development of strategies to reduce the impact of long-line and gillnet fishing on sea turtle populations. But Mexico’s delegation successfully moved to put off consideration of the resolution until next year. It... [Log in to read more]