Page 92 - Reptiles & Dinosaurs (Britannica Illustrated Science Library)

88 HUMANS AND REPTILES

Danger: Baits and Traps

ea turtles are in danger of extinction. During
their migrations, they eat the bait set on hooks
S intended for tuna. As the turtles fight to free
themselves from the hooks, they damage their internal
organs and lose their buoyancy, which causes them to die
from asphyxiation. Fishing nets are also mortal traps for
sea turtles. Certain governmental and private organizations
are seeking ways to reduce the danger for these turtles and
their future offspring.

Turtle Excluder
Capture Escape
Devices (TED) A The turtle swims in B The turtles escape
the ocean and is by swimming to the
Sea turtles, such as the Laud, lay eggs on the caught in the deep- surface, where they
Atlantic coasts of French Guiana and Suriname. sea net along with can breathe.
the shrimp that the
They can only make it there, however, if they overcome nets are intended to
the obstacle of deep fishing nets in the sea. To help them capture.
overcome this threat without interrupting the fishing of
shrimp, nets have been developed with devices that
exclude turtles from capture. Exclusion
Exit
COMMERCIAL USES
Meat Shells Turtles
TED EFFICIENCY Uncontrolled Tortoise shells Illegal
85% 15% Dragging exploitation of are taken to trafficking
of turtles escape only Net turtles occurs produce arises from the
can escape with The shrimp to support jewels and demand for
from fishing difficulty or remain trapped massive decorations. turtles as pets.
nets using remain in the net. consumption.
Turtle trapped.
Excluder
Devices.
Turtle-Blocking Device

LONG HOOK
Annual Capture in the Atlantic Turtles are able to
swallow these hooks,
Number which cause them to
of Turtles a 60 to 90% die of internal
Caretta 3.5 inches (90 mm)
300 hemorrhaging or
Coricea reduction in captures has been asphyxiation.
PROTECTION FOR TURTLE EGGS Mydas 246 254 achieved with the use of circular hooks.
The presence of humans on beaches 250 231
interferes with the development of turtle 201 Long-Line Fishing
offspring. In order to preserve turtles, 200
countries have joined forces with Scavenging turtles
environmental nongovernmental 150 eat bait. Because
organizations to carry out different tasks. they cannot escape, Buoy Main CIRCULAR HOOK
Line
In Suriname, people gather the eggs to 100 99 they die of The greater width of these
asphyxiation (lack
protect them from illegal traffickers and 78 72 80 of oxygen). hooks reduces the chance
corral the nests so that tourists do not 47 Lines with hooks of turtles being caught on 3 inches (73 mm)
destroy them. In the Caribbean basin of 50 37 over 3,000 them or swallowing them.
Costa Rica, Tortuguero National Park was 11 9 19 6 9 20 The number of hooks Fishing for Swordfish or Tuna Thanks to this modification,
established in the region home to the 0 1 3 1 on a single main line the numbers of turtles
greatest amount of spawning green turtles. 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 Weight caught or injured has been
dramatically reduced.