NOAA'S SEA TURTLE RESEARCH GAINS ADDITIONAL RECOGNITION June 2,
2005 — Two NOAA Fisheries Service researchers, George Balazs and
Yonat Swimmer, both with the NOAA Pacific Islands Fisheries
Science Center in Hawaii, have been recognized for their
exemplary sea turtle research and recovery efforts this year.
Not only does their research contribute toward achieving one of
the NOAA PIFSC's primary goals (to achieve the biological
recovery and sustained management of sea turtle populations in
the Pacific Ocean), but it reflects recent trends in NOAA sea
turtle research and conservation efforts throughout the world.
Core Sea Turtle Biology and Conservation Efforts Balazs helped
place the turtles on the federal endangered species list in 1978
and has overseen research on sea turtle biology, ecology and
life history throughout his career. Balazs attributes much of
the sea turtle population recovery over the last few decades to
the Endangered Species Act and education efforts — in which he
has played a major role — th