Bycaught sea turtles in southsern coasline of Cameroon

Study Extent

The data have been collected on actual the Campo marine national

Sampling

For this study, we survey Three fish landing point for the period of 1 years at the peripheries of Campo Ma’an National Park where we identified fish landing points and markets in Campo, Kribi and Ebodge. All these fish landing and markets have been visited twice a month for 6 months to check for any bycaught or hunted sea turtle. Bycaught sea turtles species have been identified using sea turtle identification key. Life stage has been estimated and in individuals exhibiting adult size, sex has been determined according to sexual secondary characters. the network of three fishermen has been established on the area to check and inform us about any bycaught sea turtles in the area when we where not on the field

Method steps

1. Identification of the fish landing point Visit of the fish landing point: During the visits when a turtle is detected and still entangled in the net, we help the fishermen to free it taking precautions so that the turtle is not injured and the net is not damaged too much. If the animal has already been free from the net, we proceed directly to the identification of the species and to the taking of measurements (to be able to determine later on the life stage of the animal) and other parameters. In case the animal is alive, we release it and we will follow it back to the sea in safety. But if the animal is already dead we leave it in the hands of the fishermen.

The species observed are from three genus: Lepidochelys, Chelonia and Eretmochelys.

1. Lepidochelys olivacea
   common name: Olive ridley turtles rank: species
2. Chelonia mydas
   common name: Green turtles rank: species
3. Eretmochelys imbricata
   common name: Hawksbill turtle rank: species

The data have been recorded in the south Cameron, in the locality of Ebodje, Kribi and Campo