World Status, Exploitation and Trade - WIDECAST

NETHERLANDS ANTILLESHunting methods Beach seine nets are used in Lac Bay and harpoons areused in the open sea (van Buurt, 1984). Sybesma (1987b) mentioned the useof gill nets from June to December, the sea being too rough at other times.Historical trends The total catch at Bonaire is not thought to havedeclined much, but the size of turtles caught is said to have decreasedmarkedly.Domestic trade There is said to be very little demand for sea turtles inCurasao, although three restaurants serve turtle meat and soup. Turtles canbe obtained to order at the local market. The shells fetch NaF15 each forsmall ones and NaF25 for larger ones; meat Is about NaFlO-20 a kg, abouthalf being C. mydas and half E. imbricata (Sybesma, 1986). Turtle meat ismore popular on Bonaire and is sold locally in restaurants though there islittle trade in souvenirs.International trade The Netherlands AntillesDutch ratification of CITES. Aspects of thediscussed in the section on the Leeward Islands.are not covered by theinternational trade areThe chief international trade in turtles appears to involve the landing oflive turtles by Venezuelan fishing boats. Sale of turtle meat is prohibitedon the Venezuelan mainland but not in the Netherlands Antilles (J. Sybesmain litt. , 30 March 1987).LEGISLATIONBonaire: Eilandsverordening 29 June 1961, Protection of marine turtles andlobstersAll turtle nests and eggs are protected.Bonaire: Eilandsverordening 1971.All spearfishlng is prohibited.Curasao: Eilandsverordening 22 September 1976, Management of the marineenvironmentAll spearfishlng is prohibited.376