Recently, I saw four Hawksbill sea turtles under the existing wharf/pier in the Kawaihae Harbor. All four are residents. The longest resident was initially recorded in June 2019, a year after I started to see and record them there. One of those four has a large, thick hook attached to its left wrist.
In 2021, a Hawksbill, HI-056, Leslie, was hooked and rescued. It was evacuated to Oahu on 11/21, and the hook was removed.
In 2018, I recorded a juvenile Hawksbill, HI-027, with what appeared to be a fishing line protruding from its mouth, suggesting that there was a hook it ingested. Another Hawksbill, HI-026, has a hook on the right side of its mouth. Currently, we do not know the whereabouts or status of these two.
Four of the fifteen Hawksbill sea turtles I have identified with the Hawaii Hawksbills Organization were injured or entangled, up to about 30%. I have only been recording them since 2018. With this many observations and residents, many more may have passed through the harbor. Their survivability is unknown.
The critically endangered Hawksbill sea turtles in the Kawaihae Harbor need more attention and protection. Their survival is at risk, and we must act now to ensure their future.
Recommendations:
- Partnership with DLNR and HDOT to identify the need for protective measures against entanglement with on-shore fishing gear.
- Identify Hawksbill Habitat and restrict/ban line, hook, and on-shore casting in and around restricted harbor areas. The Hawksbill sea turtles’ feeding area is under the wharf and or piers.
- Erect signage to advise fishermen in accidental entanglement of all sea turtles. These signs already exist in state departments.
All observed entanglement and injuries are due to fishing gear. The rim of the harbor basin is littered with fishing gear, which has been left discarded due to entanglement with natural and artificial objects.
We must balance the need to draw attention to their protection, not the danger of poaching. This delicate task will need to be handled by experts, which we do not profess.