Ocean Watch Susan Scott

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Fishing gear and
tumors bedevil honu

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Reader Marie Tutko recently wrote: "Here in Hawaii everyone loves the honu or sea turtle. ... It's not uncommon to see one at the beach, adding to our obsession with the beautiful reptile. But how many of us know what to do when a turtle is found ashore, maimed, sick or dying? I sure don't, and last night I wish I did."

Marie goes on to tell a sad story about finding a large turtle on a North Shore beach suffering from large tumors on its flippers, neck and face. She called 411 for information about what to do, and the operator told her to call 911.

A polite policeman arrived, but turtles are beyond the Honolulu Police Department's call of duty. A rescue, the officer said, was possible the next morning.

Marie couldn't stay at the beach all night and wonders what happened to the poor creature. She also wonders what else she might have done. "I can't stop thinking about this turtle," she writes. "I felt so helpless."

Turtle lovers might feel helpless sometimes, but we're still doing pretty well. "We can't save them all," wrote National Marine Fisheries Service turtle specialist George Balazs in reply to my questions, "but we do help and save a good number of them: 329 since 1990."

Balazs included a paper called "Rescue, Rehabilitation and Ocean Return of 329 Marine Turtles in the Hawaiian Islands, 1990-2004." It's a dramatic read for turtle enthusiasts with imagination. Here are a few saves:

>> April 11, 1990: Epoxy patch applied to hole in carapace (shell).
>> Sept. 3, 1990: Shark attack treated.
>> June 24, 1991: Trapped on a rock ledge and rescued.
>> Feb. 9, 1996: Sea urchin spine removal.
>> Oct. 23, 2001: Line entanglement removal and release by tourists.
>> May 18, 2003: Rescued from human take.
>> Spear removal.

Most of the rescues are the result of two major turtle calamities: fishing gear and tumors. Of the 329 turtles saved by humans, 180 were either hooked or entangled in line or netting. Veterinarian specialists treated and released 107 turtles for tumors.

The good news is, since the establishment of conservation measures in the 1970s, our turtles' nesting numbers have increased fourfold. Strict protection laws, practical studies and calls and rescues from concerned people are effectively saving Hawaii's turtles.

Everyone involved in this feat should be proud. Our honu have become a shining example throughout the world of how conservation programs can work.

You can help continue to this positive trend by saving the following numbers and calling when you find an injured or sick turtle:

>> Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., call the Marine Turtle Research Program, National Marine Fisheries Service, at 983-5730.
>> Weekends, holidays and after hours, call the state Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement hot line, 587-0077.
>> For suspected law enforcement violations, such as killing, harming or harassing a turtle, call either of the numbers above or the Law Enforcement Branch of NMFS at 541-2727 or 800-853-1964.

You can learn more about Hawaii's turtles at:

>> www.turtles.org/nmfs/oahu.htm
>> www.turtles.org

Both sites provide the above numbers and offer helpful tips on how to deal with stranded turtles.

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See the Columnists section for some past articles.

Marine science writer Susan Scott can be reached at http://www.susanscott.net.