Tacloban fisherman rescues another sea turtle

TACLOBAN CITY — Is it fate or a random circumstance?

A local fisherman from this city rescued a green sea turtle for the second time in just one week, after the marine animal was accidentally caught in his fishing net.

Fisherman Florencio Amarillo turned over the sea turtle to the city’s Fishery Law Enforcement Team (FLET) on 12 January.

Amarillo said the turtle became entangled in his net while he was fishing off the waters of Barangay Cabalawan, Tacloban City, near the San Juanico Bridge, on 11 January.

Authorities gathered the necessary data and conducted a thorough health assessment to ensure the turtle was fit to return to the wild.

The marine reptile, later named “Trish,” is a female green sea turtle measuring 61 centimeters in length and 52 centimeters in width. After confirming her good condition, she was released back into the sea.

Earlier, on 4 January, Amarillo also accidentally snagged another green sea turtle in his fishing net in the waters of Basey, Samar.

The turtle, named “Anderson,” measured nine inches long and seven inches wide and was likewise assessed to be in healthy condition before being released back into the wild.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has reclassified the green sea turtle from endangered to “least concern,” citing studies that show a global rebound in population.

However, the IUCN cautioned that several subpopulations remain threatened and warned that without sustained conservation efforts, the species could easily decline again.