Infant leatherbacks, one of five species of sea turtles found in Myanmar waters, emerge from the sand shortly after birth.

MYANMAR must increase its efforts to save its declining population of marine turtles or risk seeing the animals fade into extinction, an official with the Department of Fisheries said early this month.

U Than Htun, director general of the department, said human behaviour was the main reason for the population decline.

He was speaking at the opening ceremony of the National Workshop on Marine Turtle Conservation and Management, which was held at the headquarters of the Myanmar Fisheries Federation in Insein township on November 6.

“Sea turtle species become extinct yearly because of human behaviour and natural disasters, but human behaviour is the main factor,” U Than Htun said.

He said Myanmar started marine turtle conservation in 1986 and banned the eating of turtle meat and eggs in 1993. Conservation efforts accelerated after Myanmar joined the Bangkok-based Southeast Asia Fisheries Development Centre in 1997.

U Than Htun said sea turtles nest along 2831 kilometres of coastline in Myanmar, adding that the Department of Fisheries has identified 51 sites where the animals breed in the wild in Rakhine State and Ayeyarwady and Tanintharyi divisions.

“The department is working to conserve the turtles along the coastline with a focus on these breeding areas,” he said. “But we can only focus on a few areas because our staff is small and we lack proper equipment.”

Eight research papers were presented at the workshop by sea turtle conservation experts from the department and from the universities of Yangon, Mawlamyine and Sittwe.

Dr Swe Thwin, head of the Department of Marine Science at the University of Mawlamyine, said in his presentation that the sea turtle population is declining because many of the animals are caught in fishermen’s nets, and because locals living near nesting areas often dig up turtle eggs as a source of food.

“Usually, the turtles get caught in the fishing nets accidentally but if they are not released by the fishermen they will die,” he said.

U Cho Hla Aung, deputy staff officer at the Department of Fisheries, said in his presentation that the collecting of eggs was one of the main reasons for the population decline.

“Some species, such as the leatherback turtle, have been so badly affected that they are almost extinct,” he said, adding that the cooperation of fishermen and other members of public was necessary for conservation work to succeed.
“The marine turtles in Myanmar can be better protected if there is greater public awareness of and participation in conservation work,” he told The Myanmar Times.

U Cho Hla Aung said fishermen have been instructed to release turtles that have been caught in nets, while residents of coastal areas have been educated not to collect their eggs. These education campaigns have been carried out by the Department of Fisheries using pamphlets, photographs and videos to highlight the importance of conservation.

He also said the department has tagged turtles for tracking purposes in three conservation areas using equipment donated by the Southeast Asia Fisheries Development Centre.

Five species of marine turtle are found in Myanmar waters: olive ridley, loggerhead, green, hawksbill and leatherback.