AR-News: Tortoise shell wiping out Hawksbill Sea Turtles

[Barry Kent MacKay]

Hawksbill turtles on brink of extinction

The demand for tortoise shell items is pushing hawksbill turtles to the
brink of extinction, writes Tan Cheng Li.

BEKKO or tortoise shell makes pretty jewellery and ornaments. When polished
to a high shine, the mottled hues of browns and beiges on the shell come
alive and lend a special allure to the crafted item, be it a brooch, comb,
hairpin or spectacle frame.

The shell plates of the hawksbill turtle is the prettiest among all marine
turtles, making them a sought-after item for jewellery.

It is no wonder that bekko (Japanese for tortoise shell) items are much
coveted. In Japan, bekko processing dates back more than 300 years. For
centuries, bekko, which is actually the shell plate or scute of the
hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata), has been delicately worked into
ornaments and other fine objects. Until now, bekko combs remain an integral
part of the traditional Japanese wedding dress.

But today, bekko can no longer be gathered like in the past; not when
hawksbill turtles are now an endangered species. Like all marine turtles,
the species comes under Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade
in Endangered Species (CITES). This listing prohibits commercial trade in
the animal and its parts.

In addition to marine pollution, overfishing and loss of nesting grounds,
netting of hawksbill turtles for their scutes has contributed to their
status as a critically endangered species. It has been calculated that more
than 600,000 hawksbill turtles were required to produce all the bekko
imported by Japan between 1970 and 1986. One hawksbill turtle can yield
about 80g of bekko. Japan, which imported an average of 38,700kg of bekko
annually between 1980 and 1989, has gradually cut back on imports until a
total ban in 1993.

But because consumers still ask for and purchase bekko products, the trade
continues - illegally. Investigators from Traffic, the wildlife trade
monitoring network, surveyed locations in Indonesia and Vietnam in 2001 and
2002. These two countries have been known to export bekko to Japan in the
past.

Their report Shelled Out? A Snapshot of Bekko Trade in Selected Locations in
South-East Asia showed that the bekko trade, although lower than a decade
ago, goes on in Indonesia and has largely shifted underground, hindering law
enforcement and management efforts. Indonesia has since 1993, outlawed
domestic and international trade in marine turtles and marine turtle
products.

In Vietnam, trade in turtle products continues openly, according to a report
authored by Traffic programme officers Peter Paul van Dijk and Chris R.
Shepherd. During the Traffic survey in mid-2002, almost 30,000 items were
found on offer. "The quantities of bekko products were unreal," says
Shepherd.

The widespread availability of bekko products is not surprising, given that
the hawksbill turtles were not legally protected by Vietnamese legislation
at the time. They were listed as "endangered" and became a protected species
only in April 2002. But Shepherd attests that today, one can still buy bekko
products in Vietnam.

What is worse is that today, buyers are no longer just Japanese. They are
from China, Thailand, Malaysia, Canada and the United States. Some buy in
bulk for resale, particularly in Hong Kong and South Korea.

Because hawksbill turtles occur only in small numbers in Japan, the bekko
industry there has always depended on imports, namely from the Caribbean,
Latin American region, Asia, East Africa and Oceania. Following the 1993
moratorium on bekko imports, the Japanese bekko crafting industry has
survived by working on old stocks. The ban, as expected, has led to
smuggling. Intercepted attempts ranged from a three-tonne shipment from
Indonesia in 1995, to relatively small shipments from Dominica and
Singapore.

It is unclear whether harvesting of bekko is driving the exploitation of the
species or merely a byproduct of turtles netted for food. But the number of
turtles killed is staggering. Three traders in Ha Tien in Vietnam, a major
source of bekko items, told the authors that they process between 750 and
900 turtles every year. Two of them have been in the business for some 50
years.

In Indonesia, hawksbill turtles appear to be a byproduct of green turtle
hunting or general fisheries. The turtle population in the Java Sea has
declined sharply in recent years. Nesting on 17 of the 30 known nesting
beaches has declined by 72%.

The results of the reports demonstrate that it has become imperative for the
Indonesian and Vietnamese governments to step up efforts to bring the
illegal trade to an end. Both the governments and non-governmental
organisations need to continue monitoring regional management efforts.

"The trend in Indonesia is on the decline but it is still vital for
Indonesia to seize all illegal bekko stockpiles in the country to prevent
further illegal export and improve the management of any remaining
stockpiles," says report author Shepherd, who is Traffic regional programme
officer.

Some traders still keep old bekko stocks, awaiting an opportunity for legal
exports to resume. The authors fear that this expectation may lead to
traders rebuilding stocks. This will lead to more killing of turtles. To
lessen the risk of traders stocking up and clamp down on illegal trade, they
urge the Indonesian Government to step up checks and ensure that stock
records are up-to-date.

In Vietnam, the authors say enforcement agencies should target marine turtle
trade hotspots such as Ha Tien, Ho Chi Minh City and Vung Tau. Public
education and awareness, aimed at both traders and buyers, should be
initiated to publicise that hawksbill turtles are now a protected species in
Vietnam.

"You can still buy bekko products today. They've got a long way to go to
stop the trade," says Shepherd.

The report also suggests that NGOs and the government step up campaigns to
discourage purchase of bekko products, inform foreigners of the Cites
legislation forbidding international trade of this species and detect
illegal exports of bekko products.

The report says both countries should be encouraged to accede to the
Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS) to
enhance regional co-operation on marine turtle conservation. Regional
monitoring should be organised for South-East Asia and East Asia to track
the incidence of commercial shipments.

It is only through a concerted effort that the bekko trade - and the
slaughtering of more hawksbill turtles - can be stemmed.

The Star On-line April 27, 2004


_____________________________-

Barry Kent MacKay
Canadian Representative
Animal Protection Institute 
www.api4animals.org