Lam Dong fishermen release endangered turtle back to sea

Fishermen in Lam Dong Province have rescued and released a rare hawksbill sea turtle after it became entangled in a plastic fishing net.

Local authorities in Lam Dong's Lien Huong Commune confirmed on April 17 that the turtle was safely returned to the sea.

The incident occurred a day earlier when Nguyen Anh Tuoi and fellow fishermen discovered the roughly 6 kilogramme turtle trapped while fishing off Binh Thanh waters near Co Thach Beach. Recognising it as a protected species, they freed and released it.

Fishermen said sea turtles typically appear around Bai Coc Cape at this time of year to breed, increasing the risk of entanglement in nearshore fishing gear.

According to experts, the hawksbill turtle, a member of the Cheloniidae family, is listed as endangered in Vietnam’s Red Data Book and requires strict protection.