Abstract

We present a long-term time series of annual nesting data (1987–2024) to update the population status of the hawksbill sea turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) rookery at Jumby Bay (Long Island), Antigua, an index site in the eastern Caribbean. The 38-yr saturation tagging nesting dataset reflects an initial period of population stability followed by increasing abundance, as disseminated in previous population updates; however, we report on a contemporary pattern that has emerged over the past decade whereby the population has exhibited increased interannual volatility (i.e., year-to-year fluctuations), with an underlying trend reflecting steep decline. We discuss potential drivers of this change—including changing conditions in foraging areas and the proliferation of Sargassum macroalgae—but causation remains unclear, and we are eager to ascertain more context to determine whether the Jumby Bay pattern is isolated or could reflect broader regional trends.