A dead turtle was found last week near Beauty Point.
Port Stephens has three types of turtles: green, loggerhead and hawksbill. The green turtle is the most common and can be identified by its tear shaped carapace and its large pair of flippers. Despite its name, the green turtle commonly has an olive brown to black carapace and a light-coloured body. The loggerhead is a bigger turtle with a large head. The hawksbill turtle is similar in appearance and size to the green turtle, but much less common.
Common causes of turtle fatalities are boat strike and incidental capture in fishing traps, mainly crab traps and hoop nets. DPI recently changed the crab trap rules to reduce the danger to turtles and other sea life. Opera house style yabby traps are no longer permitted and there are strict rules regarding the size and construction of crab traps.
A survey in 2012 in Port Stephens found 177 ghost/discarded traps considered to be a threat to turtles. It is important to inspect your traps regularly and remove them from the water when no longer required.
Another cause of the death of turtles is starvation due to the ingestion of plastics. The plastics get caught in the gut and the turtle cannot feed.
We can all do our bit to protect the turtles. With the summer holidays just around the corner, please make sure that your visitors/guests are aware of the crab trap rules and the dangers of illegal/unattended crab traps and discarded plastics. They should also know to keep a good lookout when boating. Keep a copy of the most recent fishing rules in your boat or on your coffee table so that everyone is aware of how to look after our sea life. Paper copies of the rules are available in most tackle shops for free.
