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December 20, 2004
Fishing Gear a Death Trap for Sea Turtles
Data Shows Hawaiian Tuna Longliners Kill Every Olive Ridley Turtle Caught
New fishery observer data has shown that every endangered olive ridley sea
turtle caught by the Hawaiian longline tuna fleet was killed. Additionally,
because the fishery has exceeded its annual legal allowable catch and kill
limits of threatened olive ridley sea turtles, environmentalists are urging
the closure of the fishery and a more comprehensive solution to protect
marine life which includes a United Nations Pacific-wide moratorium on
industrial longline fishing.
In 1999, a U.S. federal court required a time-area closure for the longline
tuna fishery in order to protect the critically endangered leatherback sea
turtle. Leatherbacks were being caught at exceptionally high numbers by the
fishery. However, even with this protective measure for the leatherbacks,
every single IUCN Redlisted endangered olive ridley sea turtles that was
caught by the tuna longliners was killed. In the first three quarters of
2004, the longline tuna fishery killed all 10 olive ridley sea turtles
snagged on longlines.
These turtles aren't even given a fighting chance. Not only has the fishery
exceeded its legal take limit but it killed every turtle it caught. This is
further evidence that this incredibly destructive fisheryis a continuing
threat to endangered ocean wildlife, said Robert Ovetz, PhD, Save the
Leatherback Campaign Coordinator with the Sea Turtle Restoration Project.
The legal take limit for 2004 for olive ridleys is set at 37 caught of which
only 35 can be killed. However, because only 25.3 percent of the vessels had
observers onboard at the time the data was collected, it can be estimated
that the take for olive ridleys is about 40 caught and all 40 killed in just
the first three quarters of 2004.
A short-term fix that protects one turtle but kills another in its place is
just a sleight of hand, explained Todd Steiner, Executive Director of the
Sea Turtle Restoration Project. Steiner concluded that we need a
comprehensive solution, like international marine protected areas, that will
protect all species, not just shift the burden.
Last month, the Sea Turtle Restoration Project released a report showing
that, based on NOAA Fisheries own data, an estimated 4.4 million sea
turtles, sharks, billfish, seabirds and marine mammals are caught and killed
by longlines each year in the Pacific.
The Sea Turtle Restoration Project is calling upon the United Nations to
implement a moratorium on high seas longline fishing. To date, 744
international scientists from 84 countries, including Dr. Sylvia Earle and
biologist E.O. Wilson, and representatives of 269 NGOs from 43 countries
have signed a petition supporting the moratorium.
SEA TURTLE RESTORATION PROJECT
POB 400/40 Montezuma Avenue Forest Knolls, CA 94933 USA
Ph. +1 415 488 0370 ext. 106=80 Fax +1 415 488 0372
robert@seaturtles.org www.seaturtles.org
NGO in Special Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council of
the United Nations
Posted by Surfbirds at December 20, 2004 06:24 PM
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