Turtles killed for flippers

Recently, Panama’s Marine Resources Authority (ARAP) seized a fisherman in possesion of turtle flippers in Coquira port in Chepo. The rest of the body of the turtle was nowhere to be found.

For artisanal fishermen, turtles represent big profits through the sale of their flippers, shells and meat.

Flippers are in high demand on the open market where they are usually destined for human consumption.

But turtles are already threatened by natural predators, climate change, environmental degradation, unregulated tourism and the collection of their eggs.

Now, the increase in hunting is threatening their very existence.

ARAP has recently started working with Conservacion Internacional and the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute on a project entitled “Actions for Conserving Marine Turtles on Key Beaches in the Pacific”.

This project includes research, a public educational campaign and re-equipping the Marine Station in Los Santos.

Five of the seven species of marine turtle still exist in Panama, including the carey turtle which is on the endangered species list.

Turtles have been in existence for 150 million years. They contribute to the productivity, stability and health of the marine ecosystem by feeding on the abundant organisms to be found in shallow areas and then excreting the carbon residue into deeper marine water.

Pacifists by nature, turtles make easy targets and are rarely defensive. The best way to help protect them is to denounce all sales of turtle products, report illegal fishing, prevent pollution in rivers and the sea, and by not consuming any product that contains turtle meat.