22 Jan 2008
- Cuba has thrown a lifeline to the Caribbean’s
endangered and critically endangered marine
turtles with a ministerial resolution ending
all harvesting of marine turtles.
Such a resolution, ending
Cuba’s long standing harvest of 500 critically
endangered hawksbill turtles a year, has
been sought by conservationists for more
than a decade. It will benefit turtles hatching
on beaches throughout the Caribbean and
coming regularly to feed in Cuban waters.
Like marine turtles
worldwide, the Caribbean’s endangered green
and loggerhead turtles are threatened by
the loss of nesting and feeding habitats,
egg collection, entanglement in fishing
gear, climate change, and pollution. Hawksbill
turtles are also threatened by hunting for
tortoise shell and suffered global population
declines of 80 per cent over the last century.
“This far-sighted decision
represents an outstanding outcome for Cuba,
for the wider Caribbean, and for conservation,”
said Dr. Susan Lieberman, Director of WWF
International’s Species Programme.
“Cuba is to be commended
for the example it has set in intelligent
decision-making informed by science and
the long term best interests of its people”.
The phase out of the
marine turtle fishery in Cuba is the result
of a joint effort by the Cuban Ministry
of Fisheries and WWF, with financial support
from the Canadian International Development
Agency (CIDA).
“This decision reflects
the political will of the Cuban government
to join the call of the international community
to adopt measures that guarantee the conservation
of marine turtles”, declared Dr. Elisa Garcia,
Director of Fishing Regulations at the Ministry
of Fisheries of Cuba.
The two remaining fishing
communities used to harvest marine turtles
in Cuba are being provided with funds and
technical assistance to help them implement
specifically developed sustainable economic
alternatives, modernize their fishing fleets,
re-train their inhabitants and engage them
in hawksbill turtle protection activities.
The WWF/CIDA grant of
over $400,000 also supports the Ministry's
Centre for Fisheries Research to become
a regional hub for marine turtle conservation
and research, capitalizing on decades of
experience by leading Cuban scientists.
It will also strengthen the Office for Fisheries
Inspection (the Cuban Fisheries law enforcement
group) to ensure compliance with the ban.
Recent research has
shown that the Hawksbill’s preference for
feeding on sponges means it plays a significant
but until recently unappreciated role in
the continued health of coral reefs, by
opening up new feeding opportunities for
some varieties of reef fish.
Michael Bliemsrieder
Regional Director for Cuba
and the Greater Antilles
WWF-Canada
Jose L. Gerhartz
Field Manager for Cuba
WWF-Canada, Havana Field Office
Miramar Trade Centre
