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7248273 
Journal Article 
Somatic growth function for immature loggerhead sea turtles, Caretta caretta, in southeastern US waters 
Bjorndal, KA; Bolten, AB; Koike, B; Schroeder, BA; Shaver, DJ; Teas, WG; Witzell, WN; , 
2001 
1 
Fishery Bulletin
ISSN: 0090-0656 
NATL MARINE FISHERIES SERVICE SCIENTIFIC PUBL OFFICE 
SEATTLE 
240-246 
WOS:000168503600002 
The Sea Turtle Stranding and Salvage Network, coordinated by the National Marine Fisheries Service through a network of state coordinators. archives data on sea turtles that strand along the U.S. coast. We conducted length-frequency analyses, using MUL-TIFAN software, to generate somatic growth functions for loggerhead sea turtles, Caretta caretta, that stranded along the Atlantic coast of Florida (n=1234) and along the U.S. coast of the Gulf of Mexico (n=570) between 1988 and 1995. In both legions, the size range of loggerhead sea turtles between the size at which they begin to recruit in substantial numbers from pelagic to neritic habitats (46 fm curved carapace length [CCL]) and minimum size at sexual maturity (87 cm CCL) was composed of 20 year classes and had similar von Bertalanffy growth functions. Our estimates of 20 ear classes fall within the range of estimates calculated from previous studies (9 to 29 years) for this life stage. Because sun survivorship in this size range has been identified as critical for population recovery an accurate estimate of life stage is essential far developing effective management plans.