Samar fisherman turns over two green sea turtles caught on net
TACLOBAN CITY — What began as an accidental catch ended with two green sea turtles safely back into the sea after a fisherman voluntarily turned them over to authorities.
On Monday, August 31, at around 4:20 p.m., fisherman Rendel Amarilla of Rawis-Anibong here accidentally caught two green sea turtles in his net while fishing near Barangay Amandayehan, Basey, Samar.
Rather than keeping the turtles, Amarilla brought them to the Fishery Law Enforcement Team (FLET) office on Tuesday morning, Sept. 1.
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The turtles, later named “Bea” and “Heaven,” measured approximately 46 centimeters and 44 centimeters in length, respectively.
Personnel from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) examined both turtles and found them to be healthy and in good condition.
After the necessary information was documented, the turtles were fitted with identification tags to support monitoring and future identification.
After the assessment, documentation, and tagging were completed, Bea and Heaven were safely released back into the sea.
The incident highlights the important role that fishermen and coastal communities play in protecting marine wildlife.
Accidental capture can happen during fishing activities, but the prompt and responsible turnover of marine animals can give them a better chance of surviving and returning to their natural habitat.
Green sea turtles are marine reptiles that spend most of their lives in the ocean and play an important role in healthy marine ecosystems. Like other sea turtles, they face threats from accidental capture in fishing gear, habitat degradation, pollution, and other human activities. INQ
