Derroochelvs coriacea that were dug up from the same beach area at 

 this time was only about 16%, indicating a recognition of and 

 predeliction for eggs of Chelonia and Eretmochelys by the 

 diggers. 



In 1985, 19 Dermochelys coriacea came ashore to nest on 

 Salisbury Beach in Grenada, and all 19 females were collected for 

 local meat sales by one fisherman we interviewed. 



The ad hoc National Report for Haiti states that "official 

 statistics on the amount of turtles and turtle products harvested 

 for human consumption and other uses do not exist." It reports 

 that sea turtle meat and eggs can sometimes be obtained in 

 seafood shops of Port-au-Prince. It estimates the take of 

 hawksbills for trade with Japan alone for the past 27 years at 

 the rate of about 773 hawksbills per year. 



In Dominica, approximately 2 Chelonia . 30 Eretmochelys , and 

 5 Dermochelys nest there each year. Most, if not all, of these 

 nests are being harvested. Of the female sea turtles nesting on 

 the beaches around Dominica, there is an estimated annual kill of 

 about 25 Chelonia . 40 Eretmochelys . and 20 Dermochelys . An 

 estimated 50 other adults and 75 subadults of Chelonia, 

 Eretmochelys . and Dermochelys are taken annually in the water 

 (Lawrence, WATS II National Report) . 



In St. Lucia, of an estimated annual 25 nests of Chelonia . 

 15 of Eretmochelys and 8 of Dermochelys . most, if not all, are 

 believed to be harvested. As many as 45 nesting adults of these 

 3 species may be captured and slaughtered annually for local 

 consumption. As many as 270 adults and subadults of these 3 

 species may be captured annually in the water. 



In Costa Rica, the legal quota of adult Chelonia my das is 

 1,800 per year — to be taken only during June, July, and August. 

 For the 5 years 1983-87, the total quota was 9,000 Chelonia. Our 

 survey estimates that 16,492 were taken, exceeding the quota by 

 almost seven thousand five hundred adult Chelonia mydas . By 

 national regulation, all of these animals should be delivered to 

 and processed and recorded in Puerto Limon, but we know that many 

 were slaughtered at other places along the coast. It was 

 reported in 1983-84 that copulating pairs were harpooned to 

 increase harvesting efficiency, but more recently, since 

 harvesting (all presumably of Chelonia in the water) occurs 

 during the nesting season, females are selectively fished (a 

 ratio of 2.4 females to 1 male in 1987), because the ovarian eggs 

 of the females bring the fisherman more profit (F. Berry, WATS II 

 Report/Data Set) . 



35 



