Survey of the nocuité of the contraptions and techniques of artisanal fishing on the populations of navy turtles of the bay of Loango (Congo).

ABSTRACT

Chelonia marine turtle species preservation is one of the international community challenges through the world. In Congo-Brazzaville, the Renatura organization (ONG) is engage to the biodiversity marine turtle species protection. Among the five of seven marine turtle species encountered in the coast, Turtle lute (Dermochelys coriacea); Green turtle (Chelonia mydas); Olive turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea); Turtle caouanne (Caretta caretta) and Turtle overlapped (Eretmochelys imbricata). All these species of navy turtles well that protected by different international conventions, undergo several threats among which the nets and contraptions of traditional fishing constitute one of the main reasons of their decline. Indeed the accidental captures in the nets of the traditional fishers represent a serious threat for the navy turtles. This problem is delicate to manage because these holds don't depend directly on the will of the fishers. Indeed the turtles take themselves inauspiciously in the nets and entangle themselves of it while trying to clear itself/themselves of the net. To remedy this situation, Renatura Congo has, in 2005, initiated a program of liberation of the accidental captures of navy turtles in the nets of traditional fishing. About 1500 liberations are done annually by the agents of Renatura Congo. The liberation of these turtles doesn't constitute a long-term solution. Also, before the size of their accidental captures, it appeared to us necessary to bring our contribution in the survey of the nocuité of the contraptions and techniques of traditional fishing used to the bay of Loango in order to meter in evidence those that are more harmful. Such an objective reaches once, will allow us to improve these contraptions and techniques in order to reduce the risks of accidental captures while maintaining the level of the holds of fish and other aquatic organisms.