Ocean Sentry
Dear Editor:
Many people, both Bahamian and foreign, rejoiced a few months ago when Agriculture and Marine Resources Minister Larry Cartwright announced the Ministry’s intent to enact a complete ban on marine turtle fishing in the Bahamas. It was the culmination of many years’ effort by various groups concerned about our marine environment and particularly these majestic, gentle sea creatures who are afforded complete protection in most developed and undeveloped countries of the world. Cuba, Mexico, and most of our Caribbean neighbors long ago enacted strict bans on the capture, killing and consumption of marine turtles.
The complete ban that was promised may be in jeopardy. The amendment has not yet been passed by Parliament. A few weeks ago, The Ministry of Agriculture wanted to hear from more Bahamians on this issue. After hearing from at least several thousand since then, in favour of the ban, the amendment has still not been passed. The talk from months ago, that it might pass but with an exception to continue to allow the “personal consumption” of turtle meat, may still happen.
There are very few fishermen who catch turtles to feed their families. They catch turtles opportunistically, especially if they’ve had a bad day conching or craw fishing. They catch them to sell. The gas it would cost a fisherman to go out specifically to catch a turtle for his dinner table would cost far more than a chicken from the food store.
This is a ludicrous proposition for many reasons, the most obvious being the issue of enforcement. Will the Ministry position a Fisheries officer at every dock and every boat landing, on every island? Will they follow the fisherman home, watch him kill, clean AND eat the turtle he has caught? How else to enforce this?
What will be done about the extreme cruelty and torture inflicted on these defenseless animals while they are awaiting slaughter? Ranging from being left on their backs for hours or days in the broiling sun, to having their flippers crudely pierced with whatever sharp object is at hand and having rope threaded through them, then hogtied to prevent them from thrashing. Not to mention kids and even grown men cruelly tormenting and abusing them, often in public view – and nothing is done about it, despite calls to both Police and Fisheries. Have we become so cold and unfeeling that we think it is normal or even sporting to torture an innocent animal? Because it is to be eaten, its’ pain and suffering is irrelevant?
Our young people see their elders perpetrating abuses and cruelty on innocent helpless creatures, and they learn from this. What do they learn? Think about it. No wonder our crime rate is escalating. The abuse of animals has proven links as a stepping stone to the abuse of people and violent crime.
In these times of extreme economic instability and hardship, one would think the concept of enticing tourists to visit us instead of repelling them might have some attraction. A live turtle viewed in the wild is worth far more in tourism dollars than a suffering, tormented turtle on a dock, which is guaranteed to disgust most people who see it. Tourists who witness this leave here vowing never to come back, and discourage their friends and family from visiting. The Miss Universe pageant is to be held on Paradise Island in August; what a black eye the Bahamas would receive if the attendant international press happen upon a poor hapless turtle being tortured on the Potter’s Cay docks.
The irony is that these are not “Bahamian” turtles. These turtles do not belong to any one nation; they are migratory animals and it is extremely disheartening and frustrating to those other countries trying to protect and save them, that simply because their migratory patterns bring them to Bahamian waters, they are subject to being not only killed but tortured and abused in the process. This is one issue where “foreign” opinions should be weighed and considered as these turtles do not “belong” to the Bahamas. Most of them are not born here, and those that are, do not remain here their entire lives.
We participate in the international protection of the many migratory bird species that pass through the Bahamas every year, why are turtles different? Because they swim rather than fly? Because we have more fishermen than bird hunters?
We urge the public to voice their opinions to Minister Cartwright, and also to your local Members of Parliament. Marine turtles are evidently still in extreme jeopardy in the Bahamas; they need your help more than ever and time is of the essence.
Sincerely,
Elizabeth Burrows
Executive Director, Humane Society of Grand Bahama
Member, Bahamas Sea Turtle Conservation Group
Chris Johnston
President, Board of Directors, Humane Society of Grand Bahama
(From bahamaislandsinfo.com, Bahamas, Elizabeth Burrows
Executive Director, Humane Society of Grand Bahama)
