{"id":1740,"date":"2015-06-30T09:02:16","date_gmt":"2015-06-30T08:02:16","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.conservationpulse.com\/?p=1740"},"modified":"2021-03-05T05:00:58","modified_gmt":"2021-03-05T05:00:58","slug":"2015-06-no-hunting-agreement-in-dong-mo-lake","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/indomyanmarconservation.org\/my\/2015-06-no-hunting-agreement-in-dong-mo-lake\/","title":{"rendered":"No hunting agreement from local fishermen helps protect the world\u2019s rarest turtle"},"content":{"rendered":"

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]On the 15th<\/sup> of June 2015, the annual meeting was held for local fishermen around Dong Mo Lake in the outskirts of Hanoi. The lake is the only known wild habitat of the world’s most endangered turtle, Swinhoe’s Softshell Turtle (Rafetus<\/em>\u00a0swinhoei<\/em>). A species for which only four animals are known in existence in the world.<\/p>\n

During the meeting, contracts are determined for the coming year and since 2012 the ATP has also worked with the local lake owner, fishermen, and wildlife protection authorities, including the Forestry Protection Department (FPD) and local police.\u00a0 As part of this collaboration, the protection of the Swinhoe softshell turtles in the lake is clearly discussed in the meetings. During the 2015 meeting, all 42 fishermen signed the no hunting agreements, in which they recognise the importance and protected status of the species.\u00a0 The use of dangerous and prohibited equipment such as electro-fishing equipment, or long hook line set specifically for softshell turtles are also not allowed.<\/p>\n

In 2015 the ATP has also worked with the lake owners and fishermen to build a 13 hectare no-fishing zone in the area where the turtle is most often seen surfacing. The last year has also seen a great increase in support from the local fishermen, nine banned long hook lines have been removed from the lake, many of these collected and handed into the ATP by the fishermen.<\/p>\n

We would like to thank the Critically Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF), IUCN, The Turtle Conservation Fund (TCF) and the Kim Son Police, Son Tay FPD, and of course the fishermen and lake owner, Mr. Pham Xuan Tu, without their support our conservation efforts would not be possible.<\/p>\n