WEST PALM BEACH, Florida (2 Aug 2002) -- Armed with strict environmental regulations and a renewed commitment to enforcement, the same Florida authorities that banned shark feeding have issued a state-wide order to bust poachers who dig up sea turtle eggs. Law enforcement officials recently arrested 43-year-old James O. McGriff after he tried to sell a dozen turtle eggs to undercover agents for $30. McGriff, who is being held in jail without bond, has been indicted by a grand jury for allegedly poaching over 325 sea turtle eggs and could become the first egg poacher to be convicted in 20 years. Sea turtle eggs, which are considered an aphrodisiac in the Caribbean and Central America, are a hot commodity on south Florida's black market where large populations of Caribbean and Latin American immigrants have settled. Another factor according to Captain Jeff Ardelean of the Florida Wildlife and Fish Conservation Commission are the many crack cocaine addicts who are poaching sea turtle eggs to get cash to buy drugs. | | But Cyber Diver Society (CDS) president Evan T. Allard says the fundamental problem is overpopulation in south Florida. "Sea turtles are just one of many endangered species that thrived in Florida's coastal ecosystems for hundreds of thousands of years before a sudden and massive influx of human population pushed them to the brink of extinction in less than 30 years," explained Allard. "The only solution to this problem is to establish marine protected areas (MPAs) where all human activity is forbidden." According to scientists, only one sea turtle baby in one thousand reaches adulthood. © CDNN - CYBER DIVER NEWS NETWORKSCUBA FORUMDISCUSS THIS TOPIC - Dive in and have your say at Scuba Forum |
