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Dead turtles from boat propellers
Appeal from the Panhellenic Animal Welfare Foundation known as PFPO in Greece. for controls and implementation of legislation.
The loggerhead sea turtle is a protected priority species under national and Community law. Greece hosts about 60% of all caretta-caretta nests in the Mediterranean but only 1 in 1000 turtles will survive to adulthood!
The threats are varied, the residential and tourist development of the spawning beaches, the artificial lighting that disorients the young, the erosion of the beaches and the climate change that threatens the coastal ecosystems and the spawning beaches. Trapping in fishing gear, injuries from speedboats and the deliberate killing of some fishermen are some additional anthropogenic risks.
The Panhellenic Animal Welfare and Environmental Federation sent a letter to the Zakynthos PORT AUTHORITY, Zakynthos Municipality, RIS Responsible Deputy Minister Mr. G. Amyras, Deputy Attorney General of the Supreme Court, Ms Olga Smirly for the implementation of the law.
The announcement issued, among other things, states:
“In the National Marine Park of Zakynthos, one of the most important populations of the Caretta sea turtle (Caretta caretta) in the Mediterranean is breeding. However, the observance of protection measures in the marine area of the Park, which is designated as a Nature Protection Area under Presidential Decree 966/99, remains incomplete and delinquency is increasing, while the issue has been repeatedly made public. The situation in Laganas is tragic and we must raise the issue again today.
There are many testimonies from locals and tourists about dead turtles hit by propellers and boats, especially in recent years. A member of our association, sent us videos which were taken on Friday 20/8 at 10.00am from a boat in which he was riding near zone A but also photographic material in which there is a violation of the law. In the video, the turtle floats dead while its shell is disintegrated at the top. No one can know for sure where and when the turtle was hit. The captain notified the port authority about the animal and told our member that this is a common phenomenon in the area.
(…) Compliance with speed regulations and the protection of these areas should be a priority of the Coast Guard of the Island. State control mechanisms should guarantee the protection of these areas with sanctions against offenders and all services involved should be strengthened with the necessary number of staff and appropriate equipment.
The National Marine Park, in order to ensure that these areas will be protected, will have to place signs on which it will be clearly stated that sandblasting and the taking of stones and shells are prohibited, with reference to the fines for violating the law.
Instructions should be given to the owners of these boats and ideally, leaflets with instructions to tourists should be distributed before departure, so that they are informed about the prohibitions, the protected zones but also the speed limits and the fines in case of violation. law’s. Without maritime guarding by the Management Body but also by the systematic presence of the port authority, the violations are not detected and the violators are not punished “.
source:- HMERA
