World Status, Exploitation and Trade - WIDECAST

THAILANDimposed for failure to comply with these requirements: Bhtl5 000 innorth west Phuket, BhtSOOO in south-west Phuket, Bht45 000 at Takuatung (PhaNga) , Bht33 000 at Thai Muang (Pha Nga) , and Bht39 000 at Churaburi (PhaNga) . In Pattani, each concessionaire pays a deposit of Bht7500, which isforfeited if the hatchlings are not released. However, supervision of therelease of hatchlings was said to be poor, and probably fewer than 20 000were released annually between 1965 and 1974 (Polunin, 1975).Under a programme begun in 1974, 50% of the eggs -from certain beaches wereremoved for incubation at fishery stations. Most of the eggs were ofL. olivacea , with some C. caretta , E. imbricat a and a few C. mydas . Underthis scheme, 1107 hatchlings were released in 1977, 4820 in 1978, 5213 in1979, and 3000-4000 in 1980. Experiments with farming were said to be beingcarried out at Phuket (Bain and Humphrey, 1980), and there were small-scalerearing efforts at Sattahip and along the coast at Changwat (Polunin, 1975).In Tarutao National Park, eggs are relocated from remote beaches toprotected areas, to prevent poaching. The hatching percentage was said tobe 80% for C. mydas and 60% for L. olivacea . Natural hatching rates arenormally higher, and so attempts were being made to conceal the marks leftby the nesting females to prevent poaching without the need to move theeggs. Early experiments looked promising (Ginsberg, 1981).521