Climate change is pushing sea turtles towards global shipping lanes, posing significant threats to their conservation, Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB) researchers warn in a study published in the Science Advances journal.
“Sea turtles are fleeing the heat, and swimming towards danger,” says study co-author Denis Fournier, a member of the ULB's Faculty of Sciences. “We are witnessing a head-on collision between climate change and global maritime transport.”
Fournier and fellow ULB colleague Edouard Duquesne have found that over half of the current sea turtle hotspots may disappear by 2050. As these turtles migrate towards cooler waters nearer the poles, they enter high-traffic maritime zones where risks are high and protection is scarce.
Future turtle habitats often fall outside marine protected areas (MPAs). Currently, only 23% of critical zones are protected, and most MPAs are static, unable to adapt to migratory changes.
Risks to turtles are predicted to rise significantly with the expected increase in maritime traffic by 2050.
“This isn’t just about turtles. It’s about protecting entire ecosystems and the ecosystem services millions of people rely on,” says Edouard Duquesne.
As a key species, sea turtles play a vital role in maintaining healthy marine ecosystems. Their decline could have substantial ecological and socio-economic impacts, particularly for coastal communities.
The study’s authors call for climate-smart marine protection, which includes dynamic conservation areas, real-time monitoring, and policies to reduce ship speeds in high-risk zones.
