Global News - September 2007

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US report warns of turtle decline

Tue 25 September 2007 14:15 UK — North America

The world's population of loggerhead sea turtles is declining as a result of commercial fishing operations, a new report has warned.

According to a federal study from the US, the population of the creatures has dropped in recent years after promising gains in the 1990s.

While the report falls short of recommending that the creatures are granted 'endangered' status, it does note that it should act as a wake-up call about the creatures' survival, the Associated Press claims.

"We are very concerned," Mark Dodd, a wildlife biologist for the state of Georgia, told the news agency.

"As a biologist you're always trying to find that point at which we really have to start doing something drastic if we want to maintain loggerhead populations on our beaches."

The survey states that US nestings of the loggerhead sea turtles have declined by seven per cent annually in recent years.

In particular, loggerhead sea turtles are threatened by the fishing nets of crab fishers. In addition, many are killed by the propellers of speed boats.

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