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Following the depletion of Atlantic swordfish stocks by overfishing, many swordfish longliners relocated to Hawai'i in the late 1980's. Hooking of turtles by the hundreds each year immediately followed. It is thought that the fishing location, depth of hook, and use of lightsticks to attract fish all contribute to the high rate of turtle catch associated with the swordfish fishery.

The suit alleges that NMFS's determination that the fishing activities do not jeopardize the species' continued existence, and its authorization of continued "take" of hundreds of the endangered turtles, violate the Endangered Species Act, and that its failure to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the fishery violates the National Environmental Policy Act. The plaintiffs intend to seek an injunction halting activities that threaten the turtles. Source: Paul Achitoff, Eathjustice Legal Defense Fund.

Several environmental groups claim the company, known as ESSA, is responsible for killing dozens of sea turtles and other wildlife with discharges of brine extremely salty water that is the byproduct of salt production. Five environmental organizations three in Mexico and two in the United States filed a criminal complaint against the company with Mexico's attorney general on Wednesday. ESSA has denied any wrongdoing. Plans by ESSA to build another, similar plant in a lagoon farther south on the peninsula have sparked greater concern among environmentalists. The lagoon is part of the El Vizcaino Biosphere Reserve, which was declared a U.N. World Heritage Site in 1994. Source: CNN, 12 March, 1999

Scientists from the University of Florida and the National Marine Fisheries Service analyzed decades of green turtle nesting data collected by the Caribbean Conservation Corporation at Tortuguero, Costa Rico. Results showed that the number of nests found on the 22-mile-long beach steadily increased from 1971 through 1996 from fewer than 20,000 to more than 50,000. Source: Environmental News Network, 10 February, 1999.

The law makes it an offence punishable by fine, imprisonment or both, to capture, kill or collect the eggs of turtles at any time of the year. Years of campaigns by the Wildlife Society of Ghana, a voluntary group of wildlife conservationists and the government's Wildlife Department, have created some awareness among coastal groups on the need to conserve the turtles. All local assemblies along the country's 640-kilometre coastline have passed by-laws to protect the animals. In spite of the laws, marine turtles are harvested for their meat and oil. Pigs and dogs also dig and consume their eggs. This has led to the establishment of task forces along the key turtle nesting beaches from Prampram to Ada. All dog and pig owners have been warned to keep their animals from straying to the beaches. A local administrator in Ada said the district assembly considers the animal a tourist attraction and has built chalets for persons wishing to view the turtles as they lay eggs. Source: Inter Press Service, 6 January, 1999.

Before deliberation the council heard presentations on the value of the pelagic Sargassum community to approximately 100 species of fishes and to sea turtles. Post-hatchling loggerhead turtles are commonly found in Sargassum at the Gulf Stream Front where the Sargassum harvest has taken place. A principal concern of the Council was that small loggerheads would be collected with the Sargassum and killed.

The National Marine Fisheries Service now has the task of reviewing the management plan issued by the Council as part of a formal consultation directed under the US Endangered Species Act. In this consultation, the Service would issue a "biological opinion" that would specify tolerable levels of incidental take (e.g., mortality), set forth monitoring efforts to record this take, and limit the nature of the harvest in order to further reduce take during the phaseout. Source: Blair Witherington, Florida Department of Environmental Protection, USA.