World Status, Exploitation and Trade - WIDECAST

CYPRUSLEGISLATIONFisheries Regulations, Cap. 135, 1971.All turbles and their eggs are protected.RANCHINGThe Cyprus Fisheries Department has operated a hatchery scheme since 1978.The scheme has no commercial interest, and is purely for conservationpurposesEggs are removed from their nests and brought to a central hatchery atLara. Where protection can be given at the nest site, there has been arecent tendency to leave the nests where they are laid and to cover themwith cages (Demetropoulos and Hadj ichristophorou, 1986). The majority ofthe hatchlings are released immediately; totals of 1125, 1782 and 1650C. mydas hatchlings were released in 1980, 1982 and 1983, respectively(Demetropoulos, 1981, 1983 and 1984). A small proportion are reared tovarious sizes, either in floating sea cages in Paphos harbour or in thelaboratory at Nicosia. Some of these are used for research and some aretagged and released after a few years. In 1982, it was planned to release24 four-year-old turtles and 24 two-year-olds (Demetropoulos andHadj ichristophorou, 1982). In 1986, there was a total of about 60 turtlesin captivity (Demetropoulos and Hadj ichristophorou, 1986).159