Trade of marine turtles along the Southwestern Coast of the Gulf of Venezuela

Abstract

Background: Marine turtles play an important role in the culture and economy of numerous coastal communities around the world. However, the legal framework that regulates the consumptive use of these reptiles varies among countries.For example, the consumption of these reptiles has been regarded as common in several rural areas of Venezuela, especially in the eastern coast of the Guajira Peninsula. Methods: To assess the scale and cultural component of this use, we interviewed 35 residents from the southwestern coast of the Gulf of Venezuela (Venezuelan part of the Guajira Peninsula), using a combination of in-depth and semistructured interviews. We carried out a field and detailed market-based observations on the Guajira Peninsula to detect the sale and use of marine turtle products. We focused on three main categories of use; the type of product, routes of trade, and the price of products. Results: All of the marine turtle species reported from the Gulf of Venezuela were used, and the prices of products varied among their type, species of origin, and the distance from the capture area to a marketplace. We obtained evidence connecting Wayuú Indigenous people's traditions and beliefs with marine turtle use, and also they are used as traditional products such as medicine, and as an economic resource to sustain their communities. Conclusion: It is probable that trade of marine turtle products is placing pressure on populations in the Gulf of Venezuela. We recommend the implementation of an inter-institutional conservation-portfolio be developed for the Peninsula to evaluate actions related to this concern.

Genetic Diversity and Demographic Connectivity of Atlantic Green Sea Turtles at Foraging Grounds in Northeastern Colombia, Caribbean Sea

“…Multiple threats to the survival of juvenile and subadult C. mydas located in FGs in the Wider Caribbean including the northeastern of Colombia (Campbell and Lagueux, 2005;Bell et al, 2006). These threats are direct extraction or harvesting, coastal pollution and degradation, and fishing bycatch (Rueda et al, 1992;Campbell and Lagueux, 2005;Bell et al, 2006;Barrios-Garrido et al, 2017). As such, the knowledge and protection of FGs such as the ones in northeastern Colombia is needed in order to increase survival and progression from juvenile to reproductive stage in the life cycle of C. mydas.…”

Rapid Assessments of Leatherback Small-Scale Fishery Bycatch in Internesting Areas in the Eastern Pacific Ocean

“…Our results highlighted that, while most leatherbacks were released alive or discarded dead, the remainder were used for human consumption, sale, or bait. Retention of sea turtles for subsistence or commercial purposes has been reported in Peru (Alfaro-Shigueto et al, 2007), and in some Caribbean areas of Colombia and Panama (Ankersen et al, 2015;Barrios-Garrido et al, 2017), and commercial exchange of turtle products (i.e., leatherback oil) has been reported between Venezuelan communities and its counterparts from Colombia and Panama (Barrios-Garrido et al, 2017). The use of sea turtles as a food source has been previously reported to occur on the Pacific coast of Mexico, specifically in Sonora and Guerrero states (Delgado and Nichols, 2005;Mancini and Koch, 2009), despite a national prohibition on consumption and trade of sea turtle products (1990).…”

Diagnóstico sobre el tráfico de fauna silvestre en el departamento de Norte de Santander, Colombia

“…Según este panorama, es posible que mucha de la información sobre el tráfico de fauna silvestre en el departamento está siendo subestimada y también los índices reales de las categorías de amenaza a su supervivencia. Más aun debido a que muchos de los municipios son vulnerables debido a los altos índices de pobreza existente, la influencia por el conflicto armado y la situación económica fronteriza (Barrios-Garrido et al 2017). Esta última puede incrementar la explotación de los recursos naturales como fuente alternativa de ingresos y alimentos (Rodríguez 2000), donde la cacería deja de ser una práctica de "subsistencia" (Knapp et al 2017) tal y como se observa en el departamento.…”

“…Estas entrevistas se realizaron de forma privada y anónima, ofreciendo seguridad y confidencialidad a los entrevistados (independientemente si la persona era cazadora o no), con el fin de impedir que parte de la información fuera incorrecta o incompleta (Knapp et al 2017). Se usó el método de "bola de nieve" con el fin de identificar el mayor número de cazadores o personas con conocimiento sobre el tráfico de fauna en la región y así acceder a la población foco de este análisis (Barrios-Garrido et al 2017, Rogan et al 2017. Se hicieron preguntas sobre las especies silvestres y sus usos, el tipo de amenazas, y la percepción de las comunidades sobre la cacería y el tráfico de fauna.…”