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Marketing patterns of green and hawksbill turtles in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 April 2009

Harold F. Hirth  and
Deborah L. H. Rohovit
Harold F. Hirth
Affiliation:
Dept. of Biology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112, USA.
Deborah L. H. Rohovit
Affiliation:
Division of Continuing Education, Dept. of Marketing, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, 84112, USA.
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Abstract

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Of the six species of marine turtle in Papua New Guinea, the green turtle Chelonia mydas and the hawksbill turtle Eretmochelys imbricata are the most common and the most utilized in the Port Moresby region. This paper describes a study carried out in 1989, which monitored the trade in green turtles in the country's main market and the sale of tortoiseshell in a major shopping centre. The price of turtle meat was higher than that of some common reef fish, but cost less when fish was abundant. The commercial trade in tortoiseshell appeared to be negligible. As the urban population increases it is likely that demand for turtle meat will also increase. If this food resource is to be managed sustainably the size of the turtle population needs to be determined. The University of Papua New Guinea is supporting marine turtle field studies and a sea turtle education programme, but more needs to be done to ensure the survival of PNG's marine turtles.

Type
Research Article
Information
Oryx , Volume 26 , Issue 1 , January 1992 , pp. 39 - 42
Copyright
Copyright © Fauna and Flora International 1992

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