shell. Because the shell of ranched green turtles is thicker 

 than the shell of wild-caught green turtles, it has been 

 suggested that the shell of ranched specimens could replace 

 hawksbill shell. The following excerpt from the Milliken and 

 Tokunaga (1987) report refutes this possibility: 



"Over the last decade Japanese bekko manufacturers 

 reported extensive experimentation with tortoiseshell (green 

 turtle shell) as a potential substitute for bekko (hawksbill 

 shell) . These experiments have proven for the most part 

 unsuccessful. Unlike bekko, several layers of tortoiseshell 

 will not readily adhere together in order to produce a 

 greater thickness more conducive for manufacturing purposes. 

 With time, compressed tortoiseshell invariably separates or 

 cracks . " 



Today, Japan continues to trade in large volumes of 

 hawksbill shell from the Caribbean. In 1986, 14,544 kg of bekko, 

 the equivalent of more than 10,000 hawksbills, were imported into 

 Japan from the region. While perhaps in time the Japanese can be 

 convinced to lower their annual import quota of 30,000 kg of 

 shell, very substantial numbers of Caribbean hawksbills will 

 continue to be exported to Japan in the foreseeable future. 

 Since WATS I, recorded Japanese imports from the region totalled 

 61,045 kg of shell (15,004 kg in 1983; 15,207 kg in 1984; 16,290 

 kg in 1985; and 14,544 kg in 1986). 



Although Japanese trade in hawksbill shell is very 

 significant, the effect of French trade in the Caribbean should 

 not be underestimated. For years French fishermen and buyers 

 have heavily exploited sea turtles in Martinique, Guadeloupe, and 

 the Lesser Antilles (Carr et al. 1982; Meylan 1983, 1984a; 

 Pritchard 1984a) . 



There is a critical need for conservation in the French 

 Antilles as a result of local consumption and the tourist trade 

 in jewelry, shell and other souvenirs (Carr et al. 1982). In 

 Guadeloupe there are limited regulations which protect sea 

 turtles, but they are not enforced and many inhabitants are not 

 even aware of their existence (Carr et al. 1982). Because the 

 extensive reefs of Guadeloupe and Martinique provide excellent 

 developmental and foraging habitat (Carr et al. 1982) this 

 exploitation has also resulted in the depletion of regional 

 populations. Furthermore, French fishermen and buyers have not 

 limited their activities to the waters of the French Antilles. 

 While they have exploited the French islands most intensely, no 

 island in the Lesser Antilles has escaped their attention (Meylan 

 1984a) . France maintains that exports from the French Antilles 

 to metropolitan France are permitted as domestic shipments and 

 are not prohibited by its compliance with CITES regulations. No 

 attempts are made, however, to prevent the sale of sea turtle 

 products to tourists from other nations. 



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