Changing trends and perceptions of sea turtle egg consumption in Redang Island, Malaysia

Abstract

Sea turtles have been exploited at unsustainable rates globally. In Malaysia, their populations have faced serious declines because of diverse anthropogenic stressors including turtle egg consumption. Redang Island, off the northeast coast of Peninsular Malaysia, is an important rookery for green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas) in Southeast Asia. The local community has depended on turtle eggs as a food and livelihood source for decades. Owing to the precipitous decline in sea turtles, the main nesting beaches became legally protected in 2007. Some turtle egg consumption continues despite the protection measures and long-term awareness raising. In our study, we assess the prevalence, motivations, demographic factors, and perceptions influencing turtle egg consumption and conservation. Through semi-structured interviews, we surveyed 73 respondents in Redang village. The interviews show that turtle egg consumption has decreased since the initiation of protection measures, making the eggs expensive and difficult to access. Using binary logistic regression, we found that the respondents' education level and occupation were significant predictors. Education level was negatively correlated with age. People with higher levels of education (younger people) were less likely to eat turtle eggs, possibly on account of changing cultural beliefs and taste preferences, as well as increasing awareness. Those working in the tourism industry were less likely to consume eggs. The growth in tourism has served as an alternative to livelihoods that were dependent on the consumptive use of natural resources such as fishing and turtle egg collection. Further, tourism has catalyzed a shift from consumptive to nonconsumptive uses of sea turtles. Many locals perceived the protection of beaches as important, without which they claimed that turtle populations would go extinct. This research shows that addressing sea turtle conservation requires a multi-targeted approach of regulating sea turtle egg collection, providing economic alternatives such as tourism and long-term awareness raising.

Factors Influencing Consumption Behaviour towards Aquatic Food among Asian Consumers: A Systematic Scoping Review

“…For instance, household size was found to have a negative correlation to fish consumption [ 109 ]. Further, socio-demographic characteristics—age [ 64 , 110 , 114 , 115 , 116 , 117 ], gender [ 64 , 110 , 116 , 118 ], education [ 110 , 114 , 116 , 118 , 119 , 120 ], marital status [ 114 , 115 ], occupation [ 119 ], number of household members [ 109 , 115 , 118 ], income [ 108 , 109 , 110 , 115 , 116 , 119 , 121 , 122 ], ethnicity [ 114 ], religion [ 116 , 123 ], and place of residence [ 108 , 114 , 115 , 117 ]—were significantly associated with aquatic food consumption. Overall, older male consumers with higher income and education residing either in an urban setting or coastal region tend to have higher aquatic food consumption levels in Asia.…”

“…Overall, older male consumers with higher income and education residing either in an urban setting or coastal region tend to have higher aquatic food consumption levels in Asia. In contrast, other studies have indicated that age [ 108 , 118 , 120 ], gender [ 114 , 119 ], income [ 117 ], marital status [ 108 ], number of household members [ 108 ], and religion [ 113 ] had no significant association with aquatic food consumption.…”

Public choice for payment vehicles of turtle conservation in Terengganu, Malaysia

“…Sea turtle conservation programs in Malaysia have been implemented many years ago in many ways particularly, policy and legislation development (Abd Mutalib et al 2013;Abd Mutalib and Fadzly 2015;WWF-Malaysia 2010, 2012Mohd Jani et al 2020;Poti et al 2021); turtle egg protection and hatchery programs (Chan 2013;Abd Mutalib and Fadzly 2015;Mohd Jani et al 2020); educational and awareness programs (WWF-Malaysia 2010, 2012Chan 2013;Abdullah and Halim 2018) as well as institutional management programs (Chan 2013;Mohd Jani et al 2020). Despite the widespread decline of turtle population in Terengganu and their ecological importance, one way to support turtle conservation programs is to demonstrate the economic importance of marine turtles by demonstrating an economic valuation.…”

Widespread Use of Migratory Megafauna for Aquatic Wild Meat in the Tropics and Subtropics

“…Increased regulation of harvests generally was implemented after a dramatic decline in leatherback turtle nests at Rantau Abang in Terengganu -from some 10,000 nests per year in 1956 to just three in 2002 (Troëng and Drews, 2004), attributed to both continuous exploitation of eggs over decades, and fisheries bycatch of adults (Chan and Liew, 1996;Eckert et al, 2012;NMFS and USFWS, 2020). However, at least on Redang Island, Terengganu, legal protection of turtle nesting beaches as well as changing attitudes toward egg consumption, are thought to have led to a decline in demand for green turtle eggs, although consumption continues (Poti et al, 2021). Population declines of leatherback turtles in Terengganu contrast with recoveries of green turtles in Sabah, following the strong enforcement of the egg protection programme in the early 1970s (Chan, 2006).…”