Preliminary study of the tortoiseshell trade in the Dominican Republic

Abstract

Four sea turtle species have been reported for the Dominican Republic’s coastal areas: hawksbills (Eretmochelys imbricata), green turtles (Chelonia mydas), loggerheads (Caretta caretta), and leatherbacks (Dermochelys coriacea) (Ottenwalder 1981). Of these, hawksbills are the most popular given the economic benefits obtained from their meat, eggs, and especially their shell (tortoiseshell). Widespread sale of tortoiseshell items in Santo Domingo and a number of coastal localities has been well documented in shops catering to tourists (Stam and Stam 1992, Domínguez and Villalba 1994, TRAFFIC 2001). This activity greatly undermines regional conservation efforts. Tortoiseshell sales are in violation of domestic legislation and, if sold to international tourists, also of the Convention for the International Trade in Endangered Species of Flora and Fauna (CITES), ratified by the Dominican Republic. However, compliance with and enforcement of the regulations remains low (TRAFFIC 2001). Given the magnitude of this trade, the Coastal and Marine Resource Sub-secretariat started in 2001 a market study of tortoiseshell crafts to help in the design of an effective strategy for its regulation in the country.