World Status, Exploitation and Trade - WIDECAST

TRINIDAD AND TOBAGOand up to TT$8.00 a lb (TT$i;.t) a kg) at inland markets. The wholesaleprice was TT$1 . 00 TT$2 . 00 a lb (TT$2 . 20-TT$4 . 4 a kg), while turtle carapacesold for TT$5.00-TT$18.00 a lb at five of the depots. Lee Lum (1985) alsoreported that some carapace were boueht and sent to Tobago. Pritchard(198Aa) recorded that a considerable proportion of Hawksbill shell caught inTrinidad and Tobago waters was purchased, currently for TT$15 a lb (TT$33a kg), by Hashim Mohamed of Toco.The carapaces of juvenile Hawksbills were reported by Bacon (1973) to besold to tourists for TT$30.00 or more, the smaller ones gaining the higherpricesInternational trade A considerable quantity of Hawksbill shell fromTrinidad is said to be exported to Japan by a dealer from St Lucia,Charles Fritz, who visits Trinidad (and other islands as far away as theBahamas) approximately every three months purchasing shell for export(Pritchard, 1984a). Bacon and Maliphant (1971) considered there was littleexport of turtle shell from Trinidad. Lee Lum (1985) noted that somecarapaces at the depots investigated were bought and sent to England.Imports of E. imbricata shell reported in Japanese Customs statistics aregiven in Table 207. It should be noted that, as much of the Hawksbill shellfrom Trinidad is said to be exported to Japan via St Lucia, it may not bereported as coming from Trinidad in Japanese Customs statistics.Trinidad and Tobago acceded to CITES on 19 January 1984. CITES AnnualReports between 1977 and 198A record exports to the USA, UK and Denmark of atotal of seven C. mydas shells, three E. imbricata shells and oneCheloniidae shell.Table 207. Imports of bekko ( E. imbricata shell) from Trinidad andTobago, reported in Japanese Customs statistics (kg). No trade was reportedin the other intervening years.Year 1952 '53 "S/i '55 "56 '57 "58 '59 '60 '61 '62 '63 '83 '84 '85 '86kg 102 32 137 131 95 423 231 755 530 329 544 208LEGISUITIONProtection of Turtle and Turtle Eggs Regulations 1975.It is prohibited to take or possess female turtles which are in the seawithin any reef or within 1000 yards from the high water mark of theforeshore when there is no reef.It is prohibited to purchase, sell or possess any turtle eggs.It is prohibited to take, possess, purchase or sell any turtle or turtlemeat from 1 March to 30 September.The Fisheries Act 1916.The use of poison or explosives to kill or capture fish (including seaturtles) is prohibited.531