Over the past decade, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration National Marine Fisheries Service and several other agencies have successfully partnered to conduct research on endangered sea turtles in the nearshore waters around Guam and the CNMI.

Other agencies include the Government of Guam Department of Agriculture's Division of Aquatic & Wildlife Resources Sea Turtle Recovery Program, CNMI Department of Land and Natural Resources, Division of Fish and Wildlife and the Department of the Navy.

In their most recent research efforts, a visiting team from the NOAA Pacific Island Fisheries Science Center, Marine Turtle Biology and Assessment Program captured and collected data from 38 sea turtles, both green (Haggan, Chelonia mydas) and hawksbill (Haggan karai, Eretmochelys imbricata) in Apra Harbor, Guam during August 2025.

"The goal of this research is to learn more about the foraging sea turtle population-where they go, how they live, and the challenges they face in a changing environment. Because sea turtles' sex is determined by the temperature of the sand where they nest, warmer conditions tend to produce more females, which may affect future generations. On this trip, the NOAA team is using new techniques to determine the sex of young turtles, giving us a clearer picture of how as a team we can better guide future conservation efforts,” said Jennifer Horeg, NAVFAC Marianas Sea Turtle Program Coordinator. 

In previous years, this project successfully tagged and assessed over 100 sea turtles to track their migration and foraging behaviors around Guam and the surrounding region. 

The ongoing research is crucial for addressing regional data gaps, enhancing our understanding of sea turtle behavior and habitat use in the Marianas. The information gathered will be instrumental in guiding future conservation and management efforts for these culturally and environmentally important endangered sea turtles.

The success of this project stems from the collaborative efforts of partner agencies, with funding provided by NAVFAC Marianas on behalf of Joint Region Marianas.