Tacloban City – A local fisherman rescued a sea turtle after it was accidentally caught in his fishing net in Basey, Samar on 4 January 2025.

The Fishery Law Enforcement Team (FLET), a unit under the Tacloban City government, said it received a green sea turtle that was endorsed by Mr. Amarilla, a fisherman from the city.

The sea turtle, identified as “Anderson,” measures nine inches long and seven inches wide and was assessed to be in healthy condition.

FLET said that after the accidental capture, the fisherman immediately turned over the sea turtle to its office for proper handling.

The sea turtle was released back into the sea on Monday afternoon after thorough assessment and documentation were completed.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature had previously classified the green sea turtle as an endangered species due to a rapid decline in its population over the past decades.

In October 2025, the IUCN reclassified the species as “least concern” in its conservation index after studies showed its population was rebounding globally.

However, conservationists cautioned that several subpopulations remain threatened and warned that without continued protection, the species could easily slip back into danger.