Marine Turtle Recovery Planning

Overview | Current Plans | Plans for Other Species

(c) Kedar Gore. Olive ridley female arrives at Rushikulya beach in Orissa, India, during the arribada in February 2006

Olive ridley turtle
(Lepidochelys olivacea)
Photo: © Kedar Gore

Overview
NOAA Fisheries and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) share Federal jurisdiction for sea turtles, with NOAA Fisheries having lead responsibility in the marine environment and USFWS on nesting beaches. To help identify and guide the protection, conservation, and recovery of sea turtles, section 4(f) of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) requires NOAA Fisheries and USFWS to develop and implement recovery plans for each listed sea turtle species. Recovery plans provide a blueprint for conservation of the species and measurable criteria to gauge progress toward recovery. For further information on recovery planning, visit our Recovery Planning website.

In 1984, NOAA Fisheries and the USFWS approved a multi-species recovery plan for five species of sea turtles occurring in the U.S. This initial plan was followed by individual species plans developed by recovery teams for the U.S. Atlantic species in the early 1990's and the U.S. Pacific species in the late 1990's. NOAA Fisheries and USFWS have initiated recovery plan revisions for sea turtles in the Atlantic, beginning with the loggerhead and Kemp's ridley. The revised plans will update threats to the species, outline recovery criteria and recovery actions, and highlight conservation accomplishments.

Sea turtle recovery plans are available on our Recovery Plans page.