Turtles in Danger,Police arrests member of group of fishermen who are turtle poachers

A person whose identity was not revealed is in the hands of the Police of the Republic of Mozambique in Moma district, Nampula province, having been caught in possession of six live turtles. The individual had just illegally captured turtles on Ponta Caldeira Island part of archipelagos declared by the government as an environmental protection area. And it is on that island where that protected species makes its reproduction. Government officials in Moma, who preferred not to reveal the identity of the citizen, whose imprisonment has been legalized, reported that he is part of a group of individuals dedicated to the capture of turtles for subsequent placing on the market of the city of Nacala-Porto, of where he is a resident. His arrest happened recently on Ponta Island and was possible thanks to the intervention of the Navy of the Armed Forces of Mozambique Defense (FADM), who were on patrol mission in the Indian Ocean. According to the administrator of Moma,Araújo Momade, the implicated in the illegalhunting of turtles had confessed that he works in collaboration with other twenty fishermen, the latter responsible for the capture of that animal. Most of the islands that are part of the environmental protection area declared by the Cabinet in November 2012, are not inhabited. This is seen as being propitious for the illegal hunting of turtles for subsequent placement of meat on the black market, which is appreciated by consumers above the level of the major urban centers. OTHER ISLANDS such Mafamete, Puga - Puga, Njovo, Ponta, in Nampula province, as well as Ipendedrum and Casuarinas, in the neighboring province of Zambezia are witnessing the illegal fishing of sharks. Fishermen do it for the purpose of removing their fins that have high commercial value on the black market. Citizens of Chinese origin residing in the city of Nampula acquire the shark fins for the price of two thousand meticais per kilo for subsequent illegal export to Asian countries. Recently, the customs authorities in Nampulaan attempted illegal export of shark fins. And to disguise the existing control at the airport, those involved, two citizens of Chinese origin, put the product inside a garment bag