The Fisheries Department has praised the efforts of Praslin residents who rescued a leatherback turtle on Sunday afternoon.
The creature became entangled in lines at a sea moss farm.
Fisheries Biologist, Yvonne Edwin, told St Lucia Times that the department applauds the actions of the Praslin residents who not only untangled the turtle, but also guided it back into the open sea.
She noted that in a video which appeared on social media, the rescuers are overheard saying that some people would have slaughtered the animal for its meat.
Edwin also recalled that they indicated that poachers need to leave the turtles alone.
“This is the kind of message we want to encourage,” the Fisheries Biologist asserted.
However Edwin expressed concern that it was the third such report of a turtle in distress.
She said on April 1, a fisheries officer rescued a leatherback turtle.
The creature, weighing about 500 pounds, had become entangled in lines of a sea moss farm near Rat Islet.
And according to Edwin, the remains of another turtle were discovered in Laborie last week.
She said that animal too, had become entangled in sea moss lines.
Edwin pointed out that all the creatures would have been nesting females.
In view of the recent incidents involving the turtles, the Fisheries Biologist highlighted the need to come up with measures that would create a balance between facilitating the operations of seas moss farmers, while protecting the turtles.
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