Vulnerable turtles freed from net in border force operation

Two green sea turtles ensnared in an abandoned fishing net got lucky, but their situation highlights a serious threat to marine life.

Two green sea turtles have been freed from a 1.5 tonne fishing net floating in the ocean north of Darwin.

The turtles, listed by the Australian government as a vulnerable species, were discovered after the fishing net was found and retrieved by an Australian Border Force (ABF) patrol boat a fortnight ago.

It is one of 28 abandoned or lost fishing nets found in northern Australian waters over the past five-and-a-half years. Combined, the nets weigh about 60 tonnes.

Lost, abandoned or discarded fishing gear, known as “ghost” gear, can wreak havoc on marine life.

Peter Venslovas from the Australian Fisheries Management Authority, which jointly conducted the Maritime Border Command operation with ABF, said the net had drifted in from foreign waters.

“The release of two turtles was a great result,” Mr Venslovas said.

“Foreign fishing nets can drift into Australian waters and continue to indiscriminately fish, trapping and killing marine life.

“That is why AFMA remains committed to working with other Australian government agencies to locate, remove and dispose of these threats.”

The nets retrieved were surface driftnets, which are banned in Australia and not used by the Australian fishing industry.

The green sea turtle is listed as vulnerable. Photo: Darren Jew

The green turtle’s vulnerable status in Australia means they may become endangered if threats continue.

There are only a few large nesting populations of the green turtles left in the world and Australia has some of the largest in the Indo-Pacific region.

Maritime Border Command Deputy Commander Claire Rees said it has retrieved five ghost nets from Australian waters since March last year.

“These nets have the ability to entangle a large variety of marine creatures and birdlife. Often hundreds of creatures can be caught in a single net,” she said.

There are only a few large nesting populations of the green turtles left in the world. Photo: Brendan Radke

The net was taken to Darwin for disposal.

The ABF says industry-led practices adopted by Australian commercial fishing operators, including the use of expensive gear, means there is minimal loss of fishing gear during fishing operations.

If any gear is lost, operators are required to report this to relevant authorities.

Six of the world’s seven species of marine turtles, including the green turtle, occur in Australian waters and are protected by Commonwealth law.

Globally, marine turtles are considered to be in decline, despite successful conservation efforts in many countries that have improved the status of some populations, according to the government’s Recovery Plan for Marine Turtles in Australia 2017–2027.