Stronger laws needed to protect sea turtles: Official

By GLORIA BAUAI
PAPUA New Guinea’s leatherback sea turtles need stronger laws to protect them from extinction, says turtle conservationist Wenceslaus Magun.
Magun said the current Fauna (Protection and Control) Act (1966/1976/1978) and the convention on international trade in endangered species of wild flora and fauna needed supporting policy, law and a management plan to save the sea turtles and increase their numbers.
“I propose that we establish a sea turtles policy, law and management plan and get the maritime provincial governments to take the lead on this if we are to see tangible and positive outcomes,” he said.
“By law, the leatherback sea turtle is the only sea turtle in PNG that is protected, meaning you cannot kill or harvest their eggs for consumption. But who in PNG, especially in the rural coastal communities, knows this law?”
Magun said the law has not being enforced.
He said there was a real need to conduct leatherback beach monitoring and tagging but long-term funding was the main issue.
“One solution to achieving this outcome is that the maritime provincial governments take on this responsibility,” he said.
“In that way, they can allocate funding to establish provincial policy, law and a sea turtle management plan; this, to me, is a positive way forward and solution to this crisis.”
In another awareness effort, Magun donated 20 copies of a self-authored book titled “The Turtles Return” to Education Minister Jimmy Uguro.
Magun said he hoped the books would be used as a resource.