Did you know that turtles are reptiles - and that records show their existence during the days of the dinosaurs over 200 million years ago? With such a lengthy past of survival it’s hard to believe that of the seven sea turtle species - all but one are now listed as either threatened or endangered.
The fate of these ancient animals seems to hinge on fishing practices – with enormous numbers of sea turtles becoming entangled and killed in fishing nets each year. Most fishermen are simply not aware of the plight of the turtles, and authorities have yet to find effective ways to help them.
However, technology may offer hope for the troubled turtles. Turtle excluder devices (TEDs) can now be added to fishing nets – allowing turtles accidentally caught in nets to escape unharmed. The Centre for Advanced Research in Natural Resources and Management in Bangladesh has created a project with the mission of putting this useful technology into widespread use. Their goals are four-fold:
1) To make fishermen, shrimpers, government agencies, and management committees familiar with TEDs and what they can do.
2) To organize a series of workshops and hands-on demonstrations on TED use.
3) To construct TEDs using locally available materials.
4) To develop a monitoring system for TED use.
The SeaWorld & Busch Gardens Conservation fund has supported this important project since 2009 - and believes that the use of TEDs will have a positive impact on sea turtle populations.
