The leatherback turtle, which survived the extinction of the dinosaurs 65 million years ago, will be wiped out in 10 to 20 years because of the demand for swordfish steaks, says a US scientist.
The number of nesting female leatherbacks - one of the oldest and most far-ranging marine animals -
has declined more than 95 per cent in the past 22 years, largely because they drown in fishing nets and longlines used to catch swordfish, said Larry Crowder, of Duke University in North Carolina.
A study had shown that turtles were 10 times more likely to be caught on the longlines intended for swordfish than those used to hook tuna.
"So simply choosing to consume less swordfish could reduce market demand and reduce the impact on critically endangered leatherbacks," Dr Crowder said.
"Leatherbacks survived over 100 million years, through climate change and asteroid impacts, but they could become extinct in the next 10 to 20 years unless sufficient international co-operation is mounted."
The turtles once numbered in the hundreds of thousands but now there are fewer than 1500 females nesting throughout the Pacific Rim, including 900 in Indonesia, where turtles are still caught for food.
Leatherbacks grow to 2.7m long and 1.8 wide, can weigh up to a tonne and dive almost 1km deep.
They have been on Earth 25 times longer than humans.
Dr Crowder said measures designed to protect Kemp's ridley turtle had shown progress was possible.
Kemp's ridley declined to about 300 nesting females before numbers started to rise about 12 per cent a year thanks to the introduction of rules designed to reduce the risk of their drowning in fishing nets.
- INDEPENDENT
Herald feature: Environment
