Tri-Nation agreement in Pacific augurs well for leatherback conservation

Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands have committed to a partnership for conserving the critically endangered western Pacific leatherback turtle within the Bismarck-Solomon Seas Ecoregion. The beaches of these three countries harbour the largest remaining leatherback turtle populations in the Pacific Ocean. Leatherback turtles are classified as critically endangered. Some populations in the region have declined by as much as 90 per cent in the last twenty years. The new initiative will also ensure protection of large number of species ranging from coral reefs to migratory species such as tuna and whales in the region.