‘Semporna becoming a killing field for sea turtles’

KOTA KINABALU: Conservation­ists fear that Sabah’s diving havens of Semporna are becoming a killing field for endangered sea turtles.

The growing number of sea turtle carcasses found over the years has raised concerns that the harvesting of the marine creatures for traditional medicinal values has gone unabated.

Environmental NGO Green Sem­porna co-founder Adzmin Fatta said firm action needed to be taken against perpetrators of the crime, which is occurring not only in Semporna waters but also in neighbouring southern Philippines.

“Since 2014, we have been receiving reports of large numbers of turtle carcasses found on the Ligitan, Bum Bum and Derawan islands.

“We know where it is taking place but it is a question of enforcement.

“It is definitely some kind of organised syndicate which is getting people in the transient coastal communities to do the killings,” he said in reference to the large number of Bajau Laut (sea gypsies) in the area.

“We believe that some businessmen are paying for the turtle parts.”

He added that in most cases, the turtle meat and plastron (lower shell) were removed from carcasses.

Adzmin said all enforcement agencies should work together to step up monitoring of the activities on the harvesters and the islands they operated from.

The Malaysian Maritime Enforce­ment Agency has from time to time caught some of those involved in the killings of turtles, but there is a need for more combined action with other agencies, including the Sabah Wildlife Department, he added.

He said the Wildlife Department should set up an office in Semporna to increase its presence in the area as currently it was operating from Tawau, about 100km away.

Adzmin said Green Semporna had been actively conducting public awareness among islanders and coastal villagers in Semporna but many like the Bajau Laut might be drawn by the money offered by towkays to harvest turtles.