Geoffrey Bew, Gulf Daily News 10 Jun 08;
BAD fishing practices caused the deaths of at least 170 sea turtles in Bahrain last year, according to a study released yesterday.
They were mainly killed during the shrimping season by trawlers, nets and traps, according to the Bahrain Centre for Studies and Research (BCSR).
Head of the organisation's fisheries studies and technical manager of the marine turtle protection programme Dr Ebrahim Abdulqader called for urgent changes in fishing methods, to protect the endangered species.
"We were able to estimate, according to the data we have, that 170 was the minimum number of turtles which died," said Dr Abdulqader.
"It could have been higher than that, because of non-reporting.
"The shrimping trawlers are responsible for most of the deaths.
"Most of the cases happened between July and October, during the shrimping season.
"Most also occurred in the northern area of Bahrain located around the habitat of shrimps where sea grass is found."
The turtles' main nesting season is between June and September.
Dr Abdulqader said the other main threats to sea turtles were from dredging and reclamation, litter dumped at sea, pollution and recreational boats speeding through shallow water.
The study, which covered five coastal areas in the northern, eastern and western areas of Bahrain, used reported sightings from fishermen and a questionnaire to collect data.
It was sponsored by the Public Commission for the Protection of Marine Resources, Environment and Wildlife and the company Banagas.
The findings were unveiled during a meeting at the BCSR near Awali, attended by around 40 people including academics and environmental officials.
Dr Abdulqader called raising awareness among fishermen about the problem and the importance of introducing new types of nets that do not trap sea turtles.
"These deaths are unnecessary and are not acceptable," he told the GDN.
"These animals are part of the eco system of marine animals and it is also a beautiful creature that is attractive to divers.
"If there is a specific procedure that fishermen can follow that will minimise the impact."
The report found there are two types of turtle in Bahraini waters, the green turtle and hawksbill turtle.
However, Dr Abdulqader said he was unable to estimate the number of turtles that may exist in Bahrain because of a lack of historical data. geoff@gdn.com.bh
