The Department of Fisheries has raised that the greatest threat to sea turtles in Fiji is not traditional and subsistence harvesting but the commercial harvesting of sea turtles for their meat which claims 400-500 Green and Hawksbill turtles each year in Fiji.
The department also highlighted that they have working groups in place that currently create awareness and advocacy, conduct research and monitoring and most importantly provide enforcement.
Communities and villages are also destroying evidence of them catching and eating turtles.
This is now a growing challenge for the Department of Fisheries as it continues to fight against people who are harvesting turtles during their nesting season which ends on 31st December.
Director Fisheries, Aisake Batibasaga says turtles which have a hard upper shell of about 80 centimeters are still being sold for about $400.
Batibasaga says those caught harvesting turtles can face a fine of up to $10,000 or 12 months imprisonment.
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