(Teacher)
Introduction
The state of the natural world is always hanging in a delicate balance. No other creature on the planet has a deeper effect on the balance than humans do. Endangered and threatened species is the effect of human activity. Humans have an innate ability to create chaos in the world around them. The more a civilization is destroying the natural world, the worse the natural world becomes. This is evident by the numbers of endangered species that rises. It is difficult to center on just one single species and ignore the rest. Each species deserves to be recognized for its unique part in the complex web of life. Each species deserves to live its life as a special treasured part of the whole. However, despite laws that are intended to protect endangered species, there are still markets for illegal trade of wild animals, most of which are endangered. For example, the Sea Turtle is a food, especially a loggerhead off the coast of West Africa and other locations around the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.
Almost all human societies depend on the use of animals for food and protein sources. Almost all indigenous peoples have a culture that includes local animal meat as part of their diet. There is no problem with using what is available as long as there is no waste and there is plenty to keep growing and providing a consistent source of sustenance for generations in the future. The issue starts with commercial over-harvesting of natural resources which threaten and endanger other species.
It is and has been historically common for the loggerhead to be harvested as a food source for generations. For at least a decade, the practice of killing the turtles for use as a local food source has decreased. The increase of turtles as a cuisine in other markets has increased, which has increased illegal harvesting. With the large increase in illegal commercial harvesting, laws are not enough to slow down or even stop the practice of killing this majestic sea creature.
According to the Sea Turtle Conservancy website, the Loggerhead Sea Turtle is “listed as Endangered (facing a very high risk of extinction in the wild in the near future) by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources.” (conserveturtles.org) This means that there are only about 45,000 (population survey from 2004) nesting females living, and the number is shrinking daily from over harvesting.
For example, a recent study by Joana Hancock with other colleagues found that “marine turtles was perceived by survey respondents as a key deterrent to harvesting, environmental awareness campaigns and lack of availability were perceived as main reasons for [a] decrease in turtle consumption.” ("Conservation Laws Need Reshaping To Protect Sea Turtles: Researchers Call For Socioeconomic Infuences To Be Factored Into Future Protection Policies") There are laws, but they are not heavy enough to stop the harvest of loggerhead sea turtles on a commercial level. The saddest part is that local culture has relied on the turtle for sustainability in the human community near natural nesting grounds. There must be a balance in nature to allow all beings to live sustainably. Commercial poaching is not the same as harvesting for personal consumption, and it is the commercial poaching that is a problem.
Current Solutions and Complications
Although laws and heavy fines are a deterrent for locals, who harvested the turtle as a main protein source, the laws and fines are not a reason for commercial harvesting to stop. There need to be larger, heavier, and more severe consequences that stop this abuse. Perhaps a larger deterrent would be to seize the ships, businesses, and imprison the owners of commercial turtle harvesting vessels. However, the current system relies on the honesty of the industry and the compliance of individual countries or regions to follow through with investigating and punishing those who kill turtles for commercial use.
The proposed international laws which are in effect currently were enacted on July 30, 2015, through a General Assembly. The resolution is 69/314 and covers illicit trafficking with wildlife. “ promotes the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity, should contribute to tangible benefits for local people and ensures that no species entering into international trade is threatened with extinction,” ("United Nations Official Document"). Although it is mostly concerned with elephants, waterfowl, and rhinoceros poaching, there is an expressed concern over all wildlife. There is no official record of the specific outline for consequences of the illegal trafficking or poaching of endangered species. This concern would indicate the availability to revise the document or create a new one with the next general assembly of the United Nations Environment Assembly. A set of new international trade laws is needed to prosecute officially any commercial business that engages in the illegal trade of turtle meat and products.
A solution to the problem in only intended to stop commercial harvest and in no way is intended to punish local individuals that may harvest for personal use to sustain a family. Families have used the same cultural meat sources from their environment as long as humans have been walking on the planet. Taking away established cultural sustainability is not a part of the interest. However, some boundaries must be established for what the personal harvest limits are, to maintain local cultural rights and interests. If it is illegal to harvest any turtles, the human rights are in question and part of an even larger global discrimination against race, religion, and cultural interests.
Proposed Solution
Because the issue of killing an endangered species for commercial trade effects the entire world, the global community needs to back a complete revision of the international laws that are already in place. The proposed revision needs to have clearly defined boundaries for commercial trade concerning endangered species and severe consequences for those who ignore the proposed law. With an exception to individuals providing for their family. The new laws need to come from the United Nations and agreed on globally. United Nations Environment Assembly is an excellent collection of Earth’s leaders who care about the natural resources and treasures in the wild.
The largest impact that the United Nations could have on the possible sustainability of the loggerhead turtle is effective consequences for commercial trade of turtle meat. The poachers need to be held accountable for the part hey have in the destruction of this species. Through laws that punish individuals involved in commercial trade severely, such as seizure of property, jail time, and severe fines as a huge deterrent, the practice might stop.
Seizure of property means that a commercial vessel could be seized and auctioned off to law abiding fisheries within 30 days of the offense with no option for the original owner to buy the ship back. The buildings owned by the company cold be taken and sold within 60 days of the offense, again, with no option to buy it back. Offenders will be jailed in an international system that does not allow for time off for good behavior. Jail time should be very strict to deter anyone from breaking the law. For example, first offense should be about five years. Second offense should be ten years. If there is a third offense, it should be a life sentence. This type of strict law could be used on poachers of other endangered species as well.
Of course, those are humanitarian responses, and that is more than the poacher gave the turtles. For every turtle slaughtered for meat, there is a possible reduction of about 500 eggs a year that are not laid and will not become turtles. With all of the natural hazards that the turtles have to overcome just to live long enough to become an adult, about 20 of those eggs will grow up to adulthood. Out of those, there is still a likelihood of being killed, and the population of loggerhead sea turtles becomes so small that the species is close to the threatened stage and close to extinction.
Conclusion
The impact that humanity has had on the natural world, creating the need for an endangered species list, is devastating. Human activity is responsible for the loss of habitat, loss of life, and loss of species all in the name of progress. There is not just one, but thousands of threatened and endangered species, and changing policy to fix the problem is not as easy as it sounds. It is not enough to just change the laws. The answer is deeper than that, and the answer lies in how humanity views the other living things that share the planet.
Unfortunately, humans have lost the connection to the other creatures on the planet. They have lost compassion and gratitude. The best way to impact human behavior seems to be through a fear of consequences, instead of through honor for the sanctity of life. Therefore, the solution that seems to work is one that instills a fear of dire circumstances for bad behavior. Most times, when people fear the loss of their money, freedom, and possessions, they are more likely to follow the rules or laws.
Loggerhead Sea Turtles are endangered because of human activity and will continue to decline as humans make choices that impact the turtle population. The commercial trade of turtle meat and byproducts continues to feed the issue because there is a market for them internationally. This trade can only be stopped through fear of loss for the commercial turtle trade industry.
Works Cited
Conserveturtles.org. N.p., 2016. Web. 2 June 2016.
"Conservation Laws Need Reshaping To Protect Sea Turtles: Researchers Call For Socioeconomic Infuences To Be Factored Into Future Protection Policies". ScienceDaily. N.p., 2016. Web. 2 June 2016.
"United Nations Official Document". Un.org. N.p., 2016. Web. 2 June 2016.
