Scubaism

The start of summer has led to a clashing of conservation and tourism on the island of Yakushima, Japan. Biologists have observed local eco-tourism guides taking tourists into fenced, protected areas for nesting loggerheads. The result is trampling of nests and high mortality of eggs and hatchlings. Other guides guarantee turtle sightings by digging up nests to uncover hatchlings.

This island is home to the primary rookery for the North Pacific loggerhead sea turtle where more than 30 percent of nesting occurs. Listed as globally endangered by the World Conservation Union, loggerheads have declined dramatically to only 2,000 nesting females per year.

Although sea turtles on the beach are protected under national law, other laws and ordinances assure free, unblocked beach assess. This means that the local conservation non-governmental organization, Yakushima Umigame-Kan, cannot influence local community activities nor can they enforce national wildlife laws, especially under cover of darkness when many violations occur.

Numerous requests have been made to municipal officers and national park rangers to establish policy and proper guidelines for eco-tourism, but to date requests have been ignored to the detriment of these endangered species.

“Yakushima Island is the most significant loggerhead nesting location in the North Pacific and, in fact, one of the most important locations for this globally endangered species along with populations from Australia, South Africa, Greece, Brazil and the southeastern United States,” states Dr. Milani Chaloupka, chair of the WPRFMC Turtle Advisory Committee, an international group of experts. “All efforts should be made to ensure that this site is fully protected.”