**2.3 Sea turtle tissue collection**

Liver and kidney tissues were collected from 8 dead green turtles that incidentally drowned in commercial fishing nets set in Magdalena Bay between February 2002 and April 2003. The straight carapace length of the turtles ranged from 47–77 cm, which is representative of the size range of green turtles in the region (Gardner and Nichols, 2001). The samples were collected within 24 h after the time of death from carcasses with minimal decomposition. Tissue samples were stored in plastic bags and placed on ice for transport to the laboratory where they were frozen at − 80°C until analyzed. From five turtles, intact stomachs were also collected.
