Cayman Islands Hatches Scheme to Export Endangered Sea Turtle Products

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Cayman Islands Hatches Scheme to Export Endangered Sea Turtle Products

World's Oldest Turtle Group Aims to Stop the Measure

FLORIDA, GAINESVILLE, Nov. 7 -/E-Wire/-- Officials in the Cayman Islands have hatched a plan to start exporting products made from the shell and skin of endangered sea turtles. Since the 1970s, all international trade of sea turtles has been banned under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES); however, CITES delegates from around the world are meeting now through November 15 to consider a number of proposed changes to the rules governing endangered species trade.

One of the proposals under consideration would designate the Cayman Islands Turtle Farm as an official captive-breeding facility for endangered green turtles (Chelonia mydas). Products made from sea turtles hatched and raised at the farm then could be sold legally and exported to America, Europe and elsewhere. To designate the farm as a CITES captive-breeding facility, delegates must conclude that the Cayman Farm actually benefits the conservation of wild sea turtle populations. Many sea turtle advocates, including the worldâs oldest sea turtle research and protection group (the Caribbean Conservation Corporation) are strongly opposed to the proposal. They argue that the Cayman Turtle Farm actually harms wild sea turtle populations and that legalizing trade would stimulate new markets for sea turtle products and put more pressure on wild populations by encouraging illegal poaching.

"If this proposal passes, sea turtle conservation would revert to the dark ages, when green turtles were being wiped off the planet to feed markets in America and Europe," said CCC executive director David Godfrey. "Itâs just not worth wiping out a species to let tourists bring home stuffed baby turtles to hang on their walls."

The debate over this issue is raging on now in Santiago, Chile, where CITES delegates have convened their 12th Conference of the Parties. Representatives from CCC and other wildlife protection groups are at the conference explaining to CITES delegates how the Cayman Islands proposal would jeopardize wild sea turtles around the world. Since its founding in 1959, the Caribbean Conservation Corporation has dedicated itself to studying and protecting sea turtles, especially the green turtle. According to Godfrey, CCCâs formation as the worldâs first sea turtle conservation group was inspired out of concern over the rapid decline of green turtles occurring as a result of over-harvesting. At the time, green turtles were under great pressure due to worldwide demand for green turtle shell and meat.

In the 1970s, CCC was actively involved in the development of CITES regulations that banned commercial trade in sea turtle products. The trade ban slowly eased worldwide pressure on green turtles, as generations of people were raised never having developed a taste for green turtle soup or an attraction to turtle shell products. These international sanctions, combined with ongoing conservation programs at important green turtle nesting beaches and developmental habitats, have helped stabilize green turtle populations in many parts of the Caribbean. Recent CCC data show that green turtle nesting at Tortuguero, Costa Rica, the largest remaining nesting site for green turtles, has been increasing for over a decade. Similar trends are being documented at United Statesâ main turtle nesting beaches in Florida.

Godfrey is worried that the positive steps toward recovering green turtle populations would be seriously jeopardized if international trade is reopened.

"Even though legal trade would be limited to just those turtles raised at the Cayman Turtle Farm," Godfrey said, "the pressure in poorer countries to start illegally harvesting would be too great -- especially as international demand for turtle products is rekindled."

CCC is encouraging people to voice their opposition to legalizing sea turtle trade. The organization has created a web site dedicated to the issue with information about how people can support the effort and voice their own concerns. For more information, visit CCCâs website at www.cccturtle.org/cites

Caribbean Conservation Corporation

David Godfrey, Executive Director, Caribbean Conservation Corporation & Sea Turtle Survival League Program, 4424 NW 13th Street, Ste A-1, Gainesville, FL 32609, Phone:(352)373-6441, Fax:(352) 375-2449, [REDACTED-EMAIL]

http://www.cccturtle.org

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