Scubaism

It is believed that the crew had been trying to ditch the carcasses to hide the evidence; the Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau’s (PAWB) believe that they probably had more than 200 adult turtles and over 10,000 eggs. A pair of live pelagic thresher sharks (Alopias pelagicus), classified by the IUCN as vulnerable, were also found in the vessel’s holding tanks. WWF lauds the efforts of all those who brought these pirates a step closer to justice.

Nine surviving turtles, seven male and two female, were released shortly after the boat was detained. The craft, along with its 19 crewmen, are currently detained in Bongao port.

The Chinese crew have now been charged with violating the Philippine Wildlife Conservation and Protection Act – penalties for which can incur a fine of up to one million pesos, coupled with a six-year jail term. Amidst fears that justice might be elusive, WWF, the global conservation organization, is acting as a watchdog to ensure that these charges push through – to bring the accused to justice.