DAVAO CITY (June 7) THE Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in Central Visayas is now closely coordinating with tourism stakeholders in Moalboal, Cebu after the recent death of a 52-inch green turtle.
DENR 7 said increase in tourism activities in Cebu’s sea waters is one of the reason why accidents like propeller injuries happened to marine animals like turtles.
Viernov Grefalde, head of the Enforcement Division of DENR 7, his office already received reports of two more dead turtles in Alcantara and Oslob.
There was also an incident in Pinamungajan were the captured turtle was released.
Grefalde said they are meeting with the LGUs to discuss how to avoid accidents like this especially during summer time.
A 52-inch green turtle died on May 26, 2019 due to propeller injuries from a pump boat.
Karl H. Epp, a dive shop owner in Moalboal, who took a picture of the dead turtle, said it was the eighth turtle found dead in the town in the last two years.
Epp said out of the eight dead turtles, four had what looked like propeller injuries, one was stabbed and three were caught for food by a fisherman from Alcantara town.
According to Police Corporal Dennis Sun, the duty police investigator of Moalboal Police Station, the turtle sustained wounds in its head and scratches in its shells.
Authorities are yet to identify the owner and the operator of the said pump boat.
The number of pump boats dramatically increased over the last couple of years in Moalboal.
