DATELINE: 2nd October 2001

BALI TURTLE PLEA
The decimation of sea turtles by fishermen in Bali, Indonesia has moved well known diving sources to spearhead a protection campaign.
In their effort to stop or at least reduce the killing, fuelled by Asian markets for turtle soup and curios, they're not asking for money - just your signature, and those of friends, on a petition form.
The campaign was launched by PADI's Project AWARE, with German magazine Tauchen and the Indonesian Protection for Life group.
A high profile spokesman is marine wildlife expert, author and photographer Kurt Amsler, while PADI has printed the campaign leaflet complete with petition form with enough lines for 22 signatories.
"The killing of sea turtles in Bali must stop," Kurt Amsler told Divernet. "This Europe-wide campaign has the chance to be as successful as our shark protection campaign which persuaded the Maldivian Government to ban the killing of sharks around ten atolls.
"The Government of Bali has already reacted positively, proceeding against some turtle traders. That's why we must now act and show that the rest of the world is not unconcerned about what happens to the turtles of Indonesia."
The Sea Turtle Bali campaign leaflet with petition form is available from PADI's UK office in Bristol, tel. 0117 300 7234; email general@padi.co.uk; web www.padi.com
Meanwhile US scientists say they traced a 50-year-old turtle they had been tracking - to a coastal barbeque.
Researchers with San Diego-based group Wildcoast thought their transmitter, attached to the animal, had failed when they lost contact with it.
But later they heard that a large turtle, fitting the description of their research animal, had been consumed at a barbeque in a village on Mexico's Pacific coast.
It is thought that the animal became victim to poachers operating out of Baja California, not far from its feeding grounds. Turtles are protected under Mexican law.

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