Sea turtle rescued from fishing net

A MALE green sea turtle, locally known as “pawikan”, was rescued by Bantay Dagay personnel after they found it caught in a net off the coastal waters of Barangay Inayagan in Naga City yesterday morning.

The marine turtle, estimated to be five years old, was returned to the sea after the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) 7’s Coastal and Marine Management Section (CMMS) measured and tagged the creature.

Jose Ramiro Hilado, Naga City’s environment officer, said members of the City’s Bantay Dagat found the marine turtle while they were patrolling the coast of Barangay Inayagan at 7 a.m. yesterday.

The turtle, which was 30 inches long and 20 inches wide, was found trapped in fine mesh net placed by local fishermen there.

After rescuing the turtle, DENR 7 officials led by CMMS chief Simeon Rosal measured and tagged the creature before releasing it back to the ocean.

The turtle was released near one of the city’s protected marine sanctuaries in Barangay Inayagan.

Marks found near the tail portion of its shell showed that the turtle had been previously tagged but lost the tag during its journey.

Rosal told Sun.Star Cebu yesterday the green sea turtle is considered to be an endangered species and endemic to different parts of the world, including the Philippines.

The turtle is known to approach coastlines in search for a mate. The turtle found in Inayagan yesterday may have been journeying and looking for a mate in preparation for the mating season, he said.

Rosal said sea turtles often chose undisturbed coastlines and mate or lay their eggs there before returning to the sea.

This is not the first time a sea turtle was rescued in Naga City.

Hilado said that last year, another green sea turtle was found in one of the city’s coastal waters and was also released back to the sea.

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