Brunei
Launches 'Year of the Turtle'
MERAGANG, 21 April 2006,
Friday - The Year of the Turtle was launched in Brunei Darussalam
yesterday at the Meragang Beach with the release of ten adult turtles
and 40 hatchlings. They comprised the Olive Ridley, Hawksbill and Green
turtles.
Awang Haji Jemat bin Haji
Ampal, the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Culture, Youth and
Sports launching the event observed that through the National Committee
on Management and Conservation of Sea Turtle formed since 2000
comprising Fisheries Department, Royal Brunei Police Force, Customs and
Excise and Museums, a concrete action plan has been established to
strengthen the enforcement and control of harvesting and selling of
turtle eggs locally.
"A long term programme to
ensure full success in the conservation of turtles has also been
implemented in the form of education and awareness aimed at the public
at large," he said.
Mentioning that His Majesty
the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam has always been keen
in ensuring the conservation and sustainability of the flora and fauna
of Brunei Darussalam, the Permanent Secretary noted the trails of
successfully hatching turtle eggs artificially to encourage the
expansion of its population.
"Encouraged by each success
and being aware of the threat of the reduction of numbers of nestling
turtles in Brunei Darussalam, the Department of Fisheries has embarked
on a turtle management and conservation project," he observed.
Such a project was aimed at
the maintenance of the biodiversity and to properly manage the turtle
population through the protection of their nesting sites.
The release of the sea
turtles was led by the Permanent Secretary followed by the Directors of
the Council of the Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Centre (SEAFDEC),
who are currently attending the meeting and students from 10 secondary
and primary schools from the Brunei Muara district.
The coastal waters of
Brunei Darussalam, highlighted the Permanent Secretary, are known to be
in the migration path of marine turtles during their migration period.
The offshore oil platforms
have also provided excellent substratum for the growth of marine
organisms such as soft coral in addition to the natural coral reefs,
where divers have also spotted turtles feeding on the organisms afforded
by the oil installations.
He disclosed that the ASEAN
Ministers on Agriculture and Forestry (AMAF) at the 19th meeting held in
1997 endorsed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on ASEAN Sea Turtle
Conservation and Protection.
This MoU, he said, aimed at
promoting the protection, conservation, replenishing and recovery of sea
turtles and their habitats based on the best available scientific
evidence, taking into account the environment, socio-economic and
cultural characteristics of individual ASEAN member countries.
Brunei Darussalam and other
ASEAN Member Countries since then have been engaging actively in the
conservation and management of sea turtles. The chief guest extended his
appreciation to SEAFDEC that has also taken the initiative and played an
active role in the sea turtle management and conservation and on behalf
of the Brunei government extended appreciation to Japan for the
generosity they extended to provide a fund for the project since 1998.
Out of the seven species
found in the world, only three are found in the Brunei waters namely
Olive Ridley, Green and Hawksbill turtle and an unconfirmed sighting of
Leatherback Turtle that have been reported but there has been no record
of nesting females of this species.
Sea Turtles, as it is
known, are protected under Appendix I of the Convention for
international Trade of Endangered Species of wild flora and fauna
(CITES) where the sultanate is the signatory of this convention since
1990.
- Courtesy of
Borneo Bulletin -
