Five Female Green Sea Turtles Rescued from Aurora Fish Corrals

OLONGAPO CITY — Five female green sea turtles trapped in fish corrals along Aurora Province's coastal communities have been rescued and returned to their natural habitat, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources announced Monday. The incidents occurred in barangays along the province's coastline, where the marine reptiles became inadvertently caught in traditional fishing structures used by local fisherfolk.

The turtles were discovered when fishermen operating in the area reported the entanglements to DENR personnel. Environmental officers responded by carefully extracting the animals from the corrals and conducting health assessments before proceeding with release operations.

Following rescue procedures, the turtles were tagged to enable environmental researchers to monitor their movements and survival in the wild. The tagged specimens were subsequently released into Casiguran Bay, where they were deemed capable of returning to open waters.

The rescue operation highlights the collaborative relationship between local fishing communities and environmental agencies in protecting endangered marine species. Green sea turtles remain protected under Philippine law, with accidental captures in fishing equipment representing a significant conservation concern for the species throughout the archipelago's waters.