(MY) confiscated turtles

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Wednesday March 28, 2007 - The Star

 

Surviving turtles to be used as exhibits

 

By MUGUNTAN VANAR

 

KOTA KINABALU: One of the six surviving protected turtles recovered

from international poachers died about 12 hours after it was rescued.

 

The remaining five Green and Hawksbill turtles have been sent to the

Terayau state fisheries research station in Tuaran.

 

" The other five turtles are doing fine and will be kept as exhibits in

our case against the poachers, " state Fisheries Department enforcement

and legal officer Sapli Mulok told reporters here yesterday.

 

On Monday, 19 crewmen of a China-registered trawler were arrested

after 72 dead turtles and six that were still alive were recovered

from the vessel.

 

Illegal load: Fisheries officers inspecting the turtles that were

recovered from the China-registered trawler in Mantanani waters, near

Kota Kinabalu, on Monday night.

The turtles were apparently caught in Mantanani waters, about 90km

north-west of the city, here.

 

Sapli said investigations under Section 15 of the Fisheries Act had

been commenced against the 19 crew members. If convicted, the skipper

would face a maximum fine of RM1mil, while the crew could each face a

fine of RM100,000 in default imprisonment.

 

The 32-year-old skipper and the 18 crewmembers aged between 16 and 58

were handed over to the Fisheries Department yesterday afternoon.

 

They were reported to have left Hainan on March 15 and had been

fishing in the Mantanani area since March 19.

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Police seize more turtles- New Straits Times

29 Mar 2007

Julia Chan

 

KOTA KINABALU: Yet another Chinese fishing boat has been seized after

state marine police found 220 turtle carcasses and some 20 live ones

on board.

 

Police also found 19 turtle shells, three live sharks about two metres

long, and shark skin on the vessel.

 

On Monday, marine police had seized a Chinese trawler after it was

found with 72 turtle carcasses and six live ones in a tank below deck.

The live turtles have been sent to the Terayong Fisheries Research

Centre in Tuaran, about 45km from here. They will be observed for a

while and then released.

 

 

On yesterday's seizure, state marine police chief Assistant

Commissioner Mohd Sueb Abdullah said the 30-metre long boat was

spotted by a police patrol boat team, who investigated and arrested

its 17 crew, including the skipper.

 

The crew were fishing illegally off Mengalum island, some 40 nautical

miles from here when they were caught.

 

The boat is believed to be registered in Hainan, China.

 

Police are not discounting the probability that this boat and the one

seized on Monday may be from the same group or company in China

specialising in natural medicinal products or decor.

 

" It was no coincidence. We have been monitoring the areas prone to

encroachment, as foreign vessels tend to enter during this time when

the seas are calm and weather is good, " said Sueb.

 

A turtle shell can fetch RM1,000 in China. Turtle meat is believed to

have medicinal value.

 

Initial investigations reveal that the boat left China on March 12. It

has probably travelled in Philippine and Indonesian waters as well.

 

The crew, aged between 20 and 40, will be handed over to the Fisheries

Department .