World Status, Exploitation and Trade - WIDECAST

PERUports where the turtle protection laws are enforced. Most turtles arelanded surreptitiously at night and butchered at dawn. They are sold to a"Tortuguera", who specialises in selling turtle products. Meat sells forUS$2 a kg, approximately half the price of beef (Brown and Brown, 1982).Frazier and Salas (1983) asserted that there was no market for turtle skinin Peru, in contrast to Brown and Brown (1982), who indicated a leathercompany in Lima active in this field.International trade Virtually all of the turtles landed in Peru areconsumed within the country and little, if anything, is exported.Peru ratified CITES on 27 June 1975. The only record of trade from Peru inthe CITES Annual Reports was the import to the USA of a total of five shellsof C. mydas between 1981 and 1983. The Customs reports consulted contain norecord of any trade in turtle products with Peru.LEGISLATIONProhibition of the capture of two species of turtles in some islands andcoastal points, 31 December 1976.The taking of D. coriacea schlegeli is completely prohibited. Thetaking of C. mydas agassizi ashore is prohibited on a large number ofislands and coastal areas listed in this regulation. The taking ofthis species at sea is only allowed in respect of turtles larger than80 cm.Ministerial Resolution on classification of species of Fauna and Flora,30 September 1977.The following species are classified as vulnerable by the MinisterialResolution: C. caretta , C. mydas . E. imbricata . L. olivacea andD. coriacea418