World Status, Exploitation and Trade - WIDECAST

MAURITIUS AND DEPENDENCIESand eggs were once consumed on Rodrigues and tortoiseshell and fat wereexported (Gade, 198S).Hunting intensity Turtle fishing is almost confined to the St Brandonarchipelago. Most of the turtles caught are shipped to Mauritius, andrecent catches are given in Table 139. Local consumption of turtles is saidto average 30 C. mydas a year (Frazier, 1980a). C. mydas is stilloccasionally caught in fishing nets at Rodrigues (Gade, 1985), andE. imbricata may be caught at Rodrigues and Agalega. A small number ofC. mydas are evidently caught around Mauritius, as fishermen have reportedtag returns (Bonnet, 1986).Hunting methods The main method of capture is by harpooning breedinganimals, using a harpoon with a detachable, unbarbed head. Females are alsocaught on the beaches, and spear guns and skin diving equipment areincreasingly being used. The use of outboard motors has greatly increasedthe success of hunting at sea (Hughes, 1976b).Historical trends The first settlements were established on St Brandonin the early 19th century, and local turtle exploitation started at aboutthis time. Regular transport to Mauritius was not established until theearly 20th century, and this initiated an organised turtle fishery. TheMauritius Fishing Development Company stared operations in 1927, and thecatches recorded by them since 1937 are given in Table 139. From 1937 to1971, the annual mean catch was 304 a year, showing an almost imperceptibleincrease over the period. Hughes (1976b) pointed out that the fishingeffort had probably also increased, and he concluded that the turtlepopulation was declining. Stoddart (1976) compiled the numbers of turtlesimported live from St Brandon to Mauritius recorded in Customs reports, andthese figures are also given in Table 139. These two sets of figures,independently compiled, show similar patterns of harvest. From 1945 to1971, a total of 7221 turtles were reported to have been caught, while 5762(80%) were imported to Mauritius. Additional turtles were killed for localconsumption. Hughes (1976b) reported that each island was permitted to killtwo turtles a month for this purpose (a total of 72 turtles a year).Domestic trade The turtle fishery on St Brandon is run by the MauritiusFishing Development Company, which was said to buy turtles from thefishermen for US$3 each, selling them in Mauritius for US$29 in 1972. Theexport price was US$72 each. At the same time, meat sold for US$0.53 a kg,and eggs for US$0.04 each. Very little Hawksbill shell was sold, but it wasbought by the Company at US$1 a kg (Frazier, 1980a). In addition to theturtles transported live to Mauritius, the Company also bought calipee fromturtles slaughtered in the archipelago. A total of 100 kg, representing thecalipee from 40-50 turtles, was bought in 1971 at £0.37 a kg (Hughes,1976b). Bonnet (1986) reported that stuffed E. imbricata , caught atRodrigues and Agalega, were sold to tourists on Mauritius for Rs500 each,though other turtle products on sale were thought to have been imported.International trade Mauritius ratified CITES on 28 April 1975. The onlyexports of turtle products from Mauritius contained in CITES Annual Reportssince 1977 were two shells of C. mydas . one of E. imbricata and one ofCheloniidae, reported as imports by Canada, the USA and the UK. In 1981, theSeychelles reported exporting 11 kg of E. imbricata shell to Mauritius.Frazier (1980a), writing about 1972, said that no more than 100 kg ofHawksbill shell was exported a year, and also Implied that some meat ofC. mydas was exported. However Hughes (1976b) reported that only 4.5 kg of342