WWF fisherman Yasir Amin operating in Sonmiani Bay safely released an entangled green turtle.
Muhammad Moazzam Khan, Technical Advisor (Marine Fisheries), WWF-Pakistan informed that green turtles are considered endangered according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)’s Red List and their catching and trade is banned in Pakistan under wildlife and fisheries laws. They are also included in Appendix-I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) which means their trade is completely banned in Pakistan.
Despites these measure thousands of turtles become entangled in fishing nets all over the world and a majority of them die.
A large number of turtles, mostly breeding females become entangled in small scale fishing operations in shallow coastal waters, therefore, fishermen engaged in trawling, seining (katra) and gillnet operations are being trained in collaboration with local CBOs.
