Turtles seized in Malaysia

March 30, 2007

Trawler seized with 220 rare turtles

Thu Mar 29, 2007 8:43AM EDT

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KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - Malaysian marine police have seized a trawler

carrying about 220 rare sea turtles and arrested 17 Chinese men for

poaching, their second such seizure this week, a police chief said Thursday.

In the two seizures, both involving chases through Malaysian waters, almost

300 turtles were recovered. Most were dead, caught for use in making Chinese

medicines. Their shells and skins are also used to make fashion accessories.

" We chased them for about half an hour, " said Assistant Commissioner Mohd

Sueb, head of marine police for Sabah state, referring to the second seizure

Wednesday.

" They refused to stop their engine so we were alongside and we jumped over

and managed to stop the engine. "

Armed police, acting on tip-offs, intercepted both trawlers in waters off

Sabah, Borneo island, Mohd Sueb said by phone. The turtles were mostly green

turtles and hawksbills, both listed as endangered by the Swiss-based World

Conservation Union.

Only 20 of the roughly 220 seized Wednesday were still alive, Mohd Sueb

said. Of the 78 turtles recovered in the first seizure Monday, only five

were alive, a local newspaper said. All the turtles were handed over to

Malaysia's fisheries department.

Nineteen men were arrested in Monday's seizure.

Under Malaysia's fisheries law, the skippers of the trawlers face a maximum

fine of 1 million ringgit ($289,000) and the crew could each be fined up to

100,000 ringgit.

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