Rare leatherback sea turtle caught by fishermen returned to sea

Taipei, May 12 (CNA) A protected leatherback sea turtle accidentally caught by fishermen off the coast of Dongshih Township in Chiayi County has been safely returned to the sea, the Coast Guard Administration (CGA) said Tuesday.

In a news release, the Fourth Coast Patrol Corps under the CGA's Central Branch said fishermen reported on Monday that they accidentally netted a 200-kilogram sea turtle near Waisanding Sandbar.

A joint inspection by the Ocean Conservation Administration (OCA) and a veterinary team from the National Museum of Marine Biology and Aquarium identified the animal as a protected leatherback sea turtle and cleared it for immediate release after finding only minor abrasions.

The patrol corps said the turtle was successfully returned to the sea through the joint efforts of all parties involved, marking the OCA's first successful live rescue and release of a leatherback sea turtle since its establishment in 2018.

Leatherback sea turtles are among the largest sea turtles in the world, with carapaces covered in tough, leather-like tissue that resembles armor, it said, adding that sighting are rare because the species mainly inhabits deep ocean waters and rarely appears in the shallow coastal areas of western Taiwan.

The patrol corps urged fishermen to immediately report any accidental catches, strandings or injured protected species encountered during fishing operations by calling the CGA's 118 hotline, and to work together to protect marine life and support ocean sustainability.