IOSEA Marine Turtles

About us

The Memorandum of Understanding on the Conservation and Management of Marine Turtles and their Habitats of the Indian Ocean and South-East Asia puts in place a framework through which States, territories, inter-  and non-governmental stakeholders of the Indian Ocean and South-East Asian region, as well as other concerned States, can work together to conserve marine turtle populations  and their habitats for which they share responsibility. This objective can be achieved most effectively through the collective implementation of the IOSEA Conservation and Management Plan (CMP).

The Memorandum of Understanding applies to the waters and coastal States of the Indian Ocean and South-East Asia and adjacent seas, extending eastwards to the Torres Strait. For implementation purposes, the area is divided into four sub-regions: South-East Asia and Australia, Northern Indian Ocean, Northwestern Indian Ocean, and Western Indian Ocean. The species of marine turtles covered by the MoU are the Loggerhead Caretta caretta, Olive Ridley Lepidochelys olivacea, Green Chelonia mydas, Hawksbill Eretmochelys imbricata, Leatherback Dermochelys coriacea, and Flatback Natator depressus.