A few months ago (14 August 2009) I wrote a blog post on a workshop held in Terengganu to address the direct capture of sea turtles in South East Asia.

As follow-up action, the organising team comprising myself (Chan), Dr. Nick Pilcher from the Marine Research Foundation (MRF) and Kevin Hiew from WWF-Malaysia (WWF-M) made a study trip to Hainan from 2-8 November 2009 to meet local fisheries officials and better understand the supply and demand for sea turtle products. Our hosts, Professor Shi Haitao and Wang Shizheng from Hainan Normal University took us by road from Haikou to Sanya, covering Wenchang, Quionghai, Tamen and Lingshui along the way.

Findings were alarming. A visit to two wet markets showed one vendor openly selling fresh green turtle meat and many selling live freshwater and semi-aquatic turtles. One mariculture farm held 20 adult green turtles in a breeding pond and over 100 green turtle hatchlings and juvenile green and hawksbill turtles. Apart from the hatchlings that were produced from eggs deposited by the captive adults, the rest of the turtles were from confiscations or incidental captures in fishing nets.

Many of the jewelery shops in Haikou openly displayed bangles, hair-clips and frames of eye-glasses made from hawksbill turtle shell. Those that did not have the products on display readily produced them from under the counter when asked. Discrete questions asked revealed that the products were made by artisans who worked from home. The products were plentiful and readily available on demand.

Visits to fishing ports at Quionghai and Sanya were mind-boggling. Hundreds of ocean-going vessels operating highseas driftnets were moored with many seen just returning to port as we cruised around in a fisheries patrol boat in Sanya. A total of 3,000 such boats are licensed. Trawlers were also plentiful.

Nick and I gave talks in Quionghai to fisheries officers and fishermen and to an audience of over 600 students and fisheries officers at the the Hainan Normal University that was celebrating its 60th anniversary. The talks were well received and the Fishery Enforcement and Management Director, Mr. Xing Zhigang said he now realised the important ecological roles of the turtles and would bring the matter to his superiors to help intensify enforcement.

We also visited the Nanshan Guan Yin in Sanya where devotees could buy freshwater turtles (mostly red-eared sliders) for release on demand. Despite the rough seas, we made it to Fei Jie Zhou (Boundary Island) in Lingshui. The oceanarium, yet to be open to the public, had sea lions, dolphins, turtles and even a whale shark in captivity in the pens. We were told that its role as a rescue centre for marine wildlife was under consideration.

The trip has been eye-opening. We realise the up-hill battle in combating the direct capture of sea turtles, an activity that is illegal both in Hainan as well as the countries whose territorial waters are encroached upon by the poachers. Enforcement by the Hainanese as well as our own national enforcement agencies are critical. Awareness programs for the Hainanese fishers and general public across China needs to be launched. We have suggested to the Hainanese university students to initiate a campaign to say “NO” to turtle products and are seeking funds to facilitate these processes.

In mid-December, a roundtable discussion involving the Malaysian enforcement agencies, the Fisheries Department and other relevant government departments and NGOs will be held in Kuala Lumpur. We are serious about bringing a halt to the onslaught on our sea turtles.

Photo credits: E.H. Chan and N. Pilcher

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