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Published on July 4, 2007

Turtles are being killed by man-made causes.

Sirinat Marine National Park chief Somkiat Sunthorn-pitakkul said that sea turtles were killed by fishing nets, refuse such as plastic bags and wastewater and, more frequently, intrusion by humans into breeding grounds.

Marine and Coastal Re-sources Department preservation and restoration director Pinsak Suraswadi said 40 experts and environmentalists met yesterday at a Thalang district hotel to discuss the protection of egg-laying grounds.

With the rapid development of beaches, turtle egg-laying grounds have declined. The few left undisturbed have become the centre of conservation efforts, he said.

Pinsak said various, both public and private were caring for these breeding areas.

But they were limited by a shortage of staff, money and technical knowledge. This resulted in "varied success", he said.

Yesterday's meeting was a follow-up to one last year at Laem Panwa that proposed guidelines for turtle-nursery management.

Salinee Prab

The Nation

PHUKET