Pacific Populations Research Articles

A Mother–Calf Humpback Whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) Pair from the Southeast Pacific Population Sighted in Mexican Waters

A Mother–Calf Humpback Whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) Pair from the Southeast Pacific Population Sighted in Mexican Waters

Genetic analyses (mtDNA and microsatellites) of Okhotsk and Bering/Chukchi/Beaufort Seas populations of bowhead whales

Both North Pacific populations of bowhead whales (Balaena mysticetus) underwent heavy exploitation by commercial whalers in the 19th century, but their reduction in numbers was unequal and their contemporary population sizes differ by an order of magnitude. To investigate the genetic divergence of the different populations, tissue samples of bowhead whales representing the Okhotsk Sea (OS) population (25 samples) and the Bering/Chukchi/Beaufort Seas (BCBS) population (29 samples) were used to generate mtDNA control region sequences and genotypes for three microsatellite loci. There were 20 haplotypes represented in the contemporary BCBS samples and four in the OS samples, three of which were shared with the BCBS samples. The BCBS samples had a much greater haplotypic diversity (0.93) than the OS samples (0.61). Analyses of both types of data revealed significant genetic differences between the two populations, indicating that the populations represent discrete gene pools.

Ten-year Review of Acute Pediatric Hematogenous Osteomyelitis at a New Zealand Tertiary Referral Center.

Acute hematogenous osteomyelitis (AHO) remains a cause of severe illness among children with the possibility of long-term consequences for growth and development. Recent research has highlighted an unusually high burden of disease in the New Zealand population compared with other Western regions. We have sought to identify trends in presentation, diagnosis, and management of AHO, with added focus on ethnicity and access to health care. A 10-year retrospective review of all patients <16 years with presumed AHO presenting to a tertiary referral center between 2008 and 2018 was performed. One hundred fifty-one cases met inclusion criteria. The median age was 8 years with a male predominance (69.5%). Staphylococcus aureus was the most common pathogen using traditional laboratory culture method (84%). The number of cases per year decreased from 2008 to 2018. Assessment using New Zealand deprivation scores showed Māori children were most likely to experience socioeconomic hardship ( P ≤0.01). Median distance traveled by families to first hospital consult was 26km (range 1 to 178km). Delayed presentation was associated with need for prolonged antibiotic therapy. Incidence of disease varied by ethnicity with 1:9000 cases per year for New Zealand European, 1:6500 for Pacific, and 1:4000 for Māori. Overall recurrence rate was 11%. The incidence of AHO in New Zealand is concerningly high within Māori and Pacific populations. Future health interventions should consider environmental, socioeconomic, and microbiological trends in the burden of disease. Retrospective study, Level III.

Gene flow with the help of sea turtles: phylogeography of the epibiont barnacleChelonibia testudinaria(Linnaeus, 1758) (Crustacea: Cirripedia: Chelonibiidae) from the Persian Gulf

AbstractChelonibia testudinaria (Linnaeus, 1758) is a globally distributed epibiont barnacle using different hosts, including sea turtles and portunid crabs. Previous phylogenetic analyses have recovered three distinct clades for this species corresponding to the Atlantic, Eastern Pacific, and Indo-West Pacific regions. The present study of the genetic diversity of this species in the Persian Gulf (northwestern Indian Ocean) using the COX1 mitochondrial marker estimates the genetic connectivity of the barnacle between the Persian Gulf and two western Pacific regions. No significant genetic differentiation is evident between the Persian Gulf and the western Pacific, but the moderate level of genetic connectivity found between these areas across the Indian Ocean is likely mediated by migratory sea turtles. Based on the present analysis, the Persian Gulf displays a lower genetic diversity than the diversity of the western Pacific populations but shares some haplotypes with the latter.

Status and distribution of humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) in northern Luzon, Philippines

Since the verification of the occurrence of humpback whales in the Babuyan Islands, Philippines in 1999, studies have been carried out on their status and distribution. Boat-based surveys of the waters around the islands were conducted from 2000-03. In 2003, a survey was also conducted off the eastern coast of Northern Sierra Madre. Once the whales were sighted, the location, group composition and behaviour were noted, fluke photo-identifications taken, sloughed skin and biopsy samples collected and songs recorded. A total of 367 humpback whale sightings were documented in four seasons around the Babuyan Islands. However, a cow-calf pair sighting off the coast of Northern Sierra Madre indicates that this breeding area may extend farther south. A total of 69 individuals have been photo-identified from 1999- 2003. Re-sightings across years are as follows: one individual was sighted for three consecutive years (2001-03); two individuals for two consecutive years (2001-02 and 2002-03); while three individuals were sighted in two different years (1999 and 2002; 2001 and 2003). Twelve of the 40 individuals photo-identified in the Philippines from 1999-2002 were matched to humpback whales identified in Ogasawara and Okinawa, Japan, including one whale that moved between these regions in one season. These matches indicate that the Philippine humpback whales are part of this greater western Pacific population. A subjective comparison between humpback whale songs recorded in the Philippines and Hawaii in 2002 indicated marked similarities. A total of nine distinctive themes were identified; seven of these were common to songs from both regions. The similarity in songs suggests humpback whales in the Philippines mix to some degree, at least acoustically, with the whales in Hawaii and the rest of the Pacific basin.

Pacific Salmon Strategy Initiative will conserve marine birds with fishery closures and gillnet license retirements

Due to their lack of selectivity, entanglement of marine birds, along with a wide range of other species, in gillnets is a conservation issue worldwide. In Pacific Canada, mortality from incidental take in salmon gillnet fisheries has been identified as one of the largest sources of human-induced mortality for marine diving birds, a conservation concern impacting both local breeders and visiting migrants. In 2021, to address historic declines in Pacific salmon populations, Fisheries and Oceans Canada introduced the Pacific Salmon Strategy Initiative (PSSI). The PSSI is transformative and includes long-term commercial closures and a license retirement program. The PSSI will move the fishery away from gillnets towards more selective fishing methods with lower release mortality of non-target salmon species. Gillnet fishery closures and license retirements related to new policies under the PSSI will reduce entanglement mortality of migratory marine birds and species at risk from Canada and elsewhere, as a significant conservation byproduct. Closures and license retirements are the most effective tools to reduce bird entanglement mortality in gillnets because of the lack of technical solutions to reduce bycatch and the challenges to fund and develop robust, long-term, interdepartmental monitoring programs to inform the management of incidental take.

Effects of volitional emigration timing and smolt size on survival and age-at-return in a Pacific salmon hatchery population

Many Pacific salmon populations are returning from sea at younger ages and smaller sizes. Hatchery culture, management practices, and environmental factors influence juvenile release size and emigration timing, which in turn affect important demographic characteristics in returning adults. We analyzed data from approximately 345,000 tagged spring Chinook Salmon juveniles exiting Cle Elum Supplementation and Research Facility (Yakima River, Washington, USA) acclimation sites over thirteen brood years (2002–2014), evaluating smolt size, emigration timing, river flow, juvenile survival, and age-at-return. We observed a relationship between size and volitional exit timing of smolts from acclimation sites, with larger fish tending to emigrate earlier than smaller fish. Early emigration was also coincident with lower river flows near acclimation sites. Later emigration timing was correlated with an increase in apparent survival of juveniles to Bonneville Dam (500–530 km downstream of acclimation sites), but also with a lower rate of survival to return from sea. In general, for juveniles successfully emigrating downstream of Bonneville Dam, age-at-return increased with decreasing juvenile fish size and later emigration timing. Our results support a growing body of evidence that hatchery practices may result in larger smolts that tend to return at younger ages. Given the biological and economic consequences of younger age-at-maturation, methods to reverse this trend should be further explored and implemented.

Contrasting patterns of population structure of Bulwer’s petrel (Bulweria bulwerii) between oceans revealed by statistical phylogeography

The patterns of population divergence of mid-latitude marine birds are impacted by only a few biogeographic barriers to dispersal and the effect of intrinsic factors, such as fidelity to natal colonies or wintering grounds, may become more conspicuous. Here we describe, for the first time, the phylogeographic patterns and historical demography of Bulwer’s petrel Bulweria bulwerii and provide new insights regarding the drivers of species diversification in the marine environment. We sampled Bulwer’s petrels from the main breeding colonies and used a statistical phylogeography approach based on surveying nuclear and mitochondrial loci (~ 9100 bp) to study its mechanisms of global diversification. We uncovered three highly differentiated groups including the Western Pacific, the Central Pacific and the Atlantic. The older divergence occurred within the Pacific Ocean, ca. 850,000 ya, and since then the W Pacific group has been evolving in isolation. Conversely, divergence between the Central Pacific and Atlantic populations occurred within the last 200,000 years. While the Isthmus of Panama is important in restricting gene flow between oceans in Bulwer’s petrels, the deepest phylogeographic break is within the Pacific Ocean, where oceanographic barriers are key in driving and maintaining the remarkable structure found in this highly mobile seabird. This is in contrast with the Atlantic, where no structure was detected. Further data will provide insights regarding the extent of lineage divergence of Bulwer’s petrels in the Western Pacific.

Testing for broad-scale relationships between freshwater habitat pressure indicators and Pacific salmon population trends

Global freshwater biodiversity is declining at rates greater than in terrestrial or marine environments, largely due to habitat alteration and loss. Pacific salmon are declining throughout much of their southern range due to a combination of pressures in their marine and freshwater habitats. There is, therefore, an urgent need to understand the main drivers of decline to inform both fisheries and land-use management. Here, we draw on a suite of freshwater habitat pressure indicators to test whether we can detect relationships between them and trends in Pacific salmon spawner abundance throughout British Columbia. We related trends in spawner abundance (n = 3691 populations) to ten habitat pressure indicators that represent a snapshot in time of the level of degradation in salmon freshwater spawning habitats (e.g., Equivalent Clearcut Area, percent watershed area impacted by urban development or agriculture).Evidence of relationships between freshwater habitat pressure indicators and trends in spawner abundance was weak at the province-wide scale, while variable in both direction and magnitude at the watershed scale likely due to the mediating effects of regional biological and physical factors. We used these empirical relationships to assess the vulnerability of individual species and regions to increasing habitat pressures. Vulnerability was highest when multiple conditions coincided: when salmon were sensitive to the habitat pressure indicator, the current level of disturbance under that indicator was moderate or low, and populations were declining but not yet at rates high enough to be deemed “threatened”. These findings highlight the need to consider the current state of the landscape and of populations when assessing where habitat protection might have the greatest benefit for biodiversity conservation. Strategic recovery planning for Pacific salmon requires multi-scale approaches that account for the diversity and complexity of relationships between habitat disturbance and population dynamics.

Marker-assisted selection in a Pacific oyster population for an antiviral QTL conferring increased survival to OsHV-1 mortality events in Tomales Bay

Aquaculture of Pacific oysters (Crassostrea gigas) around the world is stymied by mortality events triggered by Ostreid herpesvirus 1 (OsHV-1). In Tomales Bay, California, where OsHV-1 is endemic, breeding through family-based pedigree selection has achieved considerable genetic gains in survival to mortality events. In this study, a genome-wide association study with unselected and selected oyster families was performed that led to the detection of one quantitative trait locus (QTL) on chromosome 8 of the Pacific oyster genome that was associated with survival to mortality events in Tomales Bay and explained 13% of the phenotypic variance. RT-qPCR was used to determine that the basal upregulation of two antiviral genes, IRF2 and Viperin, was also associated with this QTL. Marker-assisted selection for this QTL was performed and families selected in this manner had 47% greater survival breeding values than families selected using pedigree selection alone. Future fine-mapping of this QTL could potentially provide a mechanistic understanding of OsHV-1 tolerance in Tomales Bay.

The frequency of rs2231142 in ABCG2 among Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander subgroups: implications for personalized rosuvastatin dosing.

Statins are among the most commonly prescribed medications worldwide. Rosuvastatin is a moderate- to high-intensity statin depending on the prescribed dose. Statin-associated muscle symptoms are the main side effects, contributing to low adherence to statins. The missense variant rs2231142 in ABCG2 affects the functionality of the ABCG2 transporter, altering the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of rosuvastatin. This special report aims to accentuate the importance of considering the ABCG2 genotype upon prescribing rosuvastatin in high cardiovascular disease risk subgroups, specifically Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander populations. Based on the reported frequencies of rs2231142 in ABCG2, it may be justifiable to initiate low-dose rosuvastatin in Samoans relative to Marshallese or Native Hawaiians. Interpopulation differences in pharmacogenetic allele frequencies underscore the need to disaggregate broad population categories to achieve health equity in treatment outcomes.

Patterns of Birth Cohort‒Specific Smoking Histories by Race and Ethnicity in the U.S.

U.S. smoking prevalence varies greatly by race/ethnicity. However, little is known about how smoking initiation, cessation, and intensity vary by birth cohort and race/ethnicity. Adult smoking data were obtained from the 1978-2018 National Health Interview Surveys. Age‒period‒cohort models with constrained natural splines were developed to estimate historical smoking patterns among non-Hispanic White, non-Hispanic Black, Hispanic, non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander, and non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native individuals. Annual smoking prevalence and probabilities of smoking initiation, cessation, and intensity by age, year, gender, and race/ethnicity were estimated for the 1900 to 2000 birth cohorts. Analysis was conducted in 2020-2021. Smoking initiation probabilities were highest for the American Indian and Alaskan Native population, second highest among the non-Hispanic White population, and lowest among Asian and Pacific Islander and Hispanic populations across birth cohorts. Historically, initiation probabilities among non-Hispanic Black populations were comparable with those among non-Hispanic White populations but have decreased since the 1970 birth cohort. Cessation probabilities were lowest among American Indian and Alaskan Native and non-Hispanic Black populations and highest among non-Hispanic White and Asian and Pacific Islander populations across cohorts and ages. Initiation and cessation probabilities produce observed patterns of smoking where prevalence among American Indian and Alaskan Native populations is highest across all ages and cohorts. Across cohorts, smoking prevalence among non-Hispanic Black populations, particularly males, is lower than among non-Hispanic White populations at younger ages but higher at older ages. There are important and persistent racial/ethnic differences in smoking prevalence, initiation, cessation, and intensity across U.S. birth cohorts. Targeted interventions should address widening smoking disparities by race/ethnicity, particularly for American Indian and Alaskan Native and non-Hispanic Black populations.

THE TUNDRA SWAN, &lt;i&gt;CYGNUS COLUMBIANUS&lt;/i&gt; (ANATIDAE), IN THE EASTERN ASIAN ARCTIC: TRENDS AND RANGES OF DIFFERENT FLYWAY POPULATIONS

The tundra of the eastern Asian Arctic is inhabited by at least three flyway populations of the Tundra swan: the East Asian continental migratory flyway population of C. c. bewickii; the western Pacific flyway population of C. c. bewickii, and the western (American) flyway population of C. c. columbianus. The main objective of the present paper is to assess population trends by comparing information on the historical (the only one in the tundra of northeastern Asia) bird aerial survey in 1993–1995 with the data of our aerial survey held in 2020–2021. Another aim was to estimate the proportion of breeding birds in different flyway populations. The size of the zone of intergradation C. c. bewickii and C. c. columbianus in Chukotka and the level of hybridization have so far remained poorly studied, this issue required clarification. Aerial survey data for 2020–2021 were processed using QantumGIS 9.16.5 software. The system included the following layers: a vector layer of the world map; routes of aerial surveys for 2020 and 2021; and polygons of counts for 1993–1995. The system made it possible to calculate the length of the survey. Estimates for each region were calculated for the extrapolation area given in the historical survey. Between 1993–1995 and 2020–2021, an increase in the numbers of all three flyway populations of the Tundra swan was revealed on the breeding grounds. The East Asian continental flyway population increased 3.86 times, vs. 3.05 times for the West Pacific flyway population (while the documented growth of this population was 2.1 times, according to mid-winter counts over the same period). The Western (American) flyway population grew 2.5 times. We believe that the northern border of the summer range of the Tundra swan has significantly shifted to the north, following the summer climate change and the northward shift of the subarctic tundra zone. Registration of nests and broods in areas where only non-breeding birds were recorded during the historical survey is additional evidence of a northward displacement of the range. Kymyneyveem R (about 175.6° W) borders the areas of dominance of C. c. bewickii and C. c. columbianus. The switch in dominance has been triggered off, as there is no zone where both subspecies would occur in equal proportions. The overlap area of both subspecies extends for 600 km along the Arctic coast.

Inequities in Covid-19 Omicron infections and hospitalisations for Māori and Pacific people in Te Manawa Taki Midland region, New Zealand.

COVID-19 impacts population health equity. While mRNA vaccines protect against serious illness and death, little New Zealand (NZ) data exist about the impact of Omicron - and the effectiveness of vaccination - on different population groups. We aim to examine the impact of Omicron on Māori, Pacific, and Other ethnicities and how this interacts with age and vaccination status in the Te Manawa Taki Midland region of NZ. Daily COVID-19 infection and hospitalisation rates (1 February 2022 to 29 June 2022) were calculated for Māori, Pacific, and Other ethnicities for six age bands. A multivariate logistic regression model quantified the effects of ethnicity, age, and vaccination on hospitalisation rates. Per-capita Omicron cases were highest and occurred earliest among Pacific (9 per 1,000) and Māori (5 per 1,000) people and were highest among 12-24-year-olds (7 per 1,000). Hospitalisation was significantly more likely for Māori people (odds ratio (OR)=2.03), Pacific people (OR=1.75), over 75-year-olds (OR=39.22), and unvaccinated people (OR=4.64). Length of hospitalisation is strongly related to age. COVID-19 vaccination reduces hospitalisations for older individuals and Māori and Pacific populations. Omicron inequitably impacted Māori and Pacific people through higher per-capita infection and hospitalisation rates. Older people are more likely to be hospitalised and for longer.

Population variability in thermal performance of pre-spawning adult Chinook salmon.

Climate change is causing large declines in many Pacific salmon populations. In particular, warm rivers are associated with high levels of premature mortality in migrating adults. The Fraser River watershed in British Columbia, Canada, supports some of the largest Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) runs in the world. However, the Fraser River is warming at a rate that threatens these populations at critical freshwater life stages. A growing body of literature suggests salmonids are locally adapted to their thermal migratory experience, and thus, population-specific thermal performance information can aid in management decisions. We compared the thermal performance of pre-spawning adult Chinook salmon from two populations, a coastal fall-run from the Chilliwack River (125km cooler migration) and an interior summer-run from the Shuswap River (565km warmer migration). We acutely exposed fish to temperatures reflecting current (12°C, 18°C) and future projected temperatures (21°C, 24°C) in the Fraser River and assessed survival, aerobic capacity (resting and maximum metabolic rates, absolute aerobic scope (AAS), muscle and ventricle citrate synthase), anaerobic capacity (muscle and ventricle lactate dehydrogenase) and recovery capacity (post-exercise metabolism, blood physiology, tissue lactate). Chilliwack Chinook salmon performed worse at high temperatures, indicated by elevated mortality, reduced breadth in AAS, enhanced plasma lactate and potassium levels and elevated tissue lactate concentrations compared with Shuswap Chinook salmon. At water temperatures exceeding the upper pejus temperatures (Tpejus, defined here as 80% of maximum AAS) of Chilliwack (18.7°C) and Shuswap (20.2°C) Chinook salmon populations, physiological performance will decline and affect migration and survival to spawn. Our results reveal population differences in pre-spawning Chinook salmon performance across scales of biological organization at ecologically relevant temperatures. Given the rapid warming of rivers, we show that it is critical to consider the intra-specific variation in thermal physiology to assist in the conservation and management of Pacific salmon.

Habitat use and movement patterns of adult male and juvenile scalloped hammerhead sharks Sphyrna lewini throughout the Hawaiian archipelago

Scalloped hammerhead sharks Sphyrna lewini are a circumglobal species found in tropical and subtropical waters. Globally, populations of S. lewini have undergone dramatic declines in recent decades, and 4 of 6 distinct population segments are at risk of extinction and listed under the United States Endangered Species Act. Despite this, limited data exist on movement behavior or habitat use requirements of S. lewini, especially in the Central Pacific region. In this long-term (2009-2020) telemetry study, 27 S. lewini (24 males [22 adults, 2 juveniles], and 3 juvenile females) ranging in size from 106 to 310 cm (total length) were tagged with a combination of acoustic and/or satellite tags in a known nursery area, Kāne‘ohe Bay, Hawai‘i. Acoustic data revealed repeated movements of adult male S. lewini to Kāne‘ohe Bay between May and September across multiple years. Horizontal movements away from the Bay indicate these individuals are highly associated with the Hawaiian Archipelago (i.e. Northwestern and main Hawaiian Islands), while vertical movements were dynamic, with repeated, nocturnal deep dives to depths beyond 800 m and temperatures as low as 5.0°C. We conclude that adult male and juvenile S. lewini tagged in Kāne‘ohe Bay exhibit fairly restricted movements throughout the Hawaiian Archipelago, and mature males specifically exhibit strong seasonal site fidelity to Kāne‘ohe Bay. These data add crucial baseline information on habitat preferences of S. lewini around the Hawaiian Islands, and can be used to help structure conservation strategies for a portion of the Central Pacific population.

A machine learning species distribution model for the critically endangered East Pacific leatherback turtle Dermochelys coriacea

The Eastern Pacific population of leatherback turtles Dermochelys coriacea is Critically Endangered, with incidental capture in coastal and pelagic fisheries as one of the major causes. Given the population’s broad geographic range, status, and extensive overlap with fisheries throughout the region, identifying areas of high importance is essential for effective conservation and management. In this study, we created a machine-learning species distribution model trained with remotely sensed environmental data and fishery-dependent leatherback presence (n = 1088) and absence data (&gt;500000 fishing sets with no turtle observations) from industrial and small-scale fisheries that operated in the eastern Pacific Ocean between 1995 and 2020. The data were obtained through a participatory collaboration between the Inter-American Convention for the Protection and Conservation of Sea Turtles and the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission as well as non-governmental organizations to support the quantification of leatherback vulnerability to fisheries bycatch. A daily process was applied to predict the probability of leatherback occurrence as a function of dynamic and static environmental covariates. Coastal areas throughout the region were highlighted as important habitats, particularly highly productive feeding areas over the continental shelf of Ecuador, Peru, and offshore from Chile, and breeding areas off Mexico and Central America. Our model served as the basis to quantify leatherback vulnerability to fisheries bycatch and the potential efficacy of conservation and management measures (Griffiths &amp; Wallace et al. 2024; Endang Species Res 53:295-326). In addition, this approach can provide a modeling framework for other data-limited vulnerable populations and species.

Screening, diagnosing and management of Pacific peoples with prediabetes in New Zealand primary healthcare clinics with high concentrations of Pacific peoples: an online survey.

Introduction Prediabetes is a condition of elevated blood sugar levels which can increase the risk of type 2 diabetes (T2D) if not managed effectively. Prediabetes is likely to affect about 24.6% of New Zealand (NZ) adults, with estimates of 29% of the Pacific population currently living with the condition. A prediabetes diagnosis is an opportunity for intervention from trusted primary care providers. The study aim was to describe primary healthcare clinician's knowledge and practice regarding screening, diagnosing and management of prediabetes in Pacific patients. Methods An online survey was conducted with current practicing primary healthcare clinicians between February and April 2021. Eligible participants included clinicians employed in a primary healthcare clinic with over 50% of enrolled patients identified as Pacific. Results Primary healthcare clinicians (n = 30) reported that their prediabetes screening, diagnosis and management were aligned with the NZ Ministry of Health clinical guidelines. The most common factors that prompted screening was a family history of T2D (25/30, 83%), ethnicity (24/30, 80%) weight and BMI (24/30, 80%). The initial management practices involved providing recommendations for dietary changes and physical activity (28/30, 93%) and referring patients to a diabetes prevention lifestyle change programme (16/30, 53%). Discussion Primary healthcare clinicians are the foremost point of engagement with patients and their fāmili (family) in their health journey. Culturally appropriate tools could be useful to assist healthcare providers to communicate to a higher risk population and most clinicians rely on up to date guidelines for screening and management.

Perspective on Illicit drug use for Pacific people living in New Zealand

Historically, alcohol and tobacco use has been the main substance use for Pacific people in New Zealand (NZ).1,2,3 However, more recently, illicit drug use is a new emerging concerning trend amongst Pacific people in New Zealand. Illicit drugs refer to highly addictive and illegal substances such as cannabis, synthetic cannabinoids, heroin, marijuana and methamphetamine. Importantly, Pacific youth have been identified as having higher prevalence rates than other age groups in the Pacific population in New Zealand. 4 Although, Pacific people have higher rates of substance abuse, they tend to have lower rates of accessing health service access compared with the New Zealand general population.5 Very little research has examined illicit drug use for Pacific people. With the emergence of rising illicit drug use, there is an urgent needed to identify why illicit drugs will become an issue for Pacific people in the future.

Exploring the demography and conservation needs of hawksbill sea turtles Eretmochelys imbricata in north-west Mexico

AbstractThe hawksbill sea turtle Eretmochelys imbricata is categorized as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List and its population has declined by over 80% in the last century. The Eastern Pacific population is one of the most threatened hawksbill populations globally. Western Mexico is the northern distribution limit for hawksbill sea turtles in the Eastern Pacific and recent research indicates that the Mexican Pacific portion of the population is a separate management unit because of the restricted movements of these turtles. Here we use the most complete database of sighting records in the north-west Pacific of Mexico to identify sites where hawksbill turtles are present. We also develop a conservation index to determine the conservation status of hawksbill turtle sites. Our results demonstrate the importance of this region for juveniles and the relevance of rocky reefs and mangrove estuaries as habitats for hawksbill turtles. We identified 52 sites with records of hawksbill turtles. Most of these sites (71%) are not protected; however, sites with high conservation value included islands and coastal sites along the Baja California peninsula that are established as marine protected areas. Reefs and mangrove estuaries relevant for hawksbill turtles are probably also significant fish nursery areas that are important for local fishing communities, creating opportunities for conservation strategies that combine science, local engagement and policy to benefit both local fishing communities and hawksbill sea turtle conservation.