Brad Ryan ABC News 5 Sep 11;
Traditional owners on the far north Queensland coast are asking for government funding to help starving sea turtles.
The Mandubarra Land and Sea Corporation on the coast near Innisfail, south of Cairns, says a self-imposed ban on Indigenous hunting has helped to boost sea turtle numbers.
However, it says that was before Cyclone Yasi wiped out large tracts of seagrass, which is a major food source for the turtles.
Authorities say the number of turtles being washed up on north Queensland beaches has increased 700 per cent in a year.
Mandubarra spokesman James Epong says traditional owners are running a program to replant seagrass but they need funding.
"All the expenses have been covered by the elders in the group," he said.
The corporation has applied for funds under the Federal Government's Reef Rescue program.
Call to probe illegal dugong, turtle trade
Francis Tapim ABC News 6 Sep 11;
Wildlife documentary maker Ben Cropp is calling for urgent an investigation into the black market trade of turtle and dugong meat in Queensland.
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Over the weekend, Mr Cropp and environmental campaigner Bob Irwin called on traditional owners across Australia to stop hunting for a year to give the endangered marine species a chance to recover.
Mr Cropp says Queensland's summer of disasters has killed off sea grass beds and impacted on numbers, but traditional hunting and the illegal trade of turtle and dugong meat is a big part of the problem.
He says the animals are dying at an alarming rate and the government has to do more to protect them.
Mr Cropp is concerned some Indigenous communities have resorted to selling the meat for cash.
"It is so common - the sale of turtle and dugong meat - and that has escalated the killing, probably doubled, tripled, the killing," he said.
"That is what has got to be stopped and the only way to stop that is to simply make a law that dugong and turtle meat cannot be taken out of the community.
"We know that dugong and turtle meat is sold now - you have only got to go to the airport and see the people come through with eskies.
"If you stop them they are going to say, 'sure, I brought some dugong meat down for my family' but it's rubbish - they are selling it."
Mr Cropp says Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders are hunting in green zones and it should not be allowed.
He says the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA) is too lenient on Indigenous people when it comes to traditional hunting rights.
Mr Cropp says he supports the right to hunt for traditional food but not in protected areas.
"You and I - if we went and took a turtle you would get five years' jail, but they are allowed to go into green zones and hunt turtles," he said.
"That to me is wrong - these areas are for all Australians."
James Epong from the Mandaburra group in far north Queensland says poachers are killing turtle and dugong meat for sale locally and overseas.
Mr Epong says the illegal sale of turtle and dugong meat is no secret, with people selling it in local pubs and it being sent overseas.
He says one man allegedly made $80,000 last year.
"There is an overseas market - you can buy a 20 to 30 kilogram pack of dugong," he said.
"There is a black market where they are transporting the turtle and dugong meat overseas.
"Up Cairns way, some lad made $80,000 for one year of poaching.
"Now the breeding season starts, these poachers they come along with their boats and shooting them or spearing them and just taking them."
