Higher prices for sea turtle eggs in Malaysia

The Star 19 Feb 09;

KUALA TERENGGANU: The Terengganu Fishery Department is offering licensed turtle egg collectors higher prices in a bid to save the reptile from extinction.

The new price for leatherback eggs is RM5 each, and for eggs of other species RM4, Turtle Sanc­tuary Advisory Board chairman Datuk Mokthar Nong said.

The price was previously set at RM3 (leatherback) and RM2 (other species).

Mokhtar, who is also the state secretary, said the price revision was to encourage the collectors to sell the eggs to the department.