The inspector of the Nature and Parks Authority identified an 18-meter-deep turtle in distress at sea, during a free dive last Saturday.
Omri Omsi, inspector of a marine unit in the Eilat area, at the Nature and Parks Authority: "I went out for free diving training on Saturday morning, and suddenly I saw a rare sea turtle of the Karni species, eating vegan myrrh fish. The turtle is known to be in serious danger of extinction in Eilat.
The Karni Sea Turtle, Photo: Omri Omasi, Nature and Parks Authority
"I finished the dive, and when I went upstairs to breathe air, I looked at the picture - and saw that something was attached to his mouth. I suspected there was a problem here, so I dived again to check the turtle's condition. To my surprise, I saw the fish the turtle was trying to eat. - And his whole body is wrapped in fishing lines and other equipment.I realized I needed to get the hook out of my mouth and release the turtle.
"After I got up to breathe air, I went down to the turtle again, and in the underwater operation I managed to get the hook and wire out of his mouth. This is a professional operation that I am qualified to perform as part of my job, and should not be performed independently. "To be a safety submarine and secure me. To my delight the hook came out of my mouth. I released the hook and threads from the myrrh fish, and returned the fish carcass to the bottom. To my delight I saw the turtle return to eat it, this time safely."
Fishing endangers the extinct sea turtles, Photo: Omri Omasi, Nature and Parks Authority
This is not a fabric story, but another campaign in the sea turtles' war on fishing gear.
The fisherman who caught the vegan merrone released it into the sea with the hook.
As mentioned, the horned sea turtle is a species of turtle that is in serious danger of extinction, when in the territory of Israel we know of about 14 permanent turtles.
Injury to a single turtle can cause severe damage to the percentage of the population.
Fishing hooks are one of the main causes of damage to sea turtles in our area.
Turtles are caught in mimics and fishing hooks attached to a static cable.
Since the turtles are also attracted to the bait and bite it - they actually swallow the tip of the hook with it.
The hook may get stuck deep in the turtle's esophagus, piercing the various structures of its digestive system.
Danger in the depths of Eilat, Photo: Omri Omasi, Nature and Parks Authority
Aside from the danger posed by the swallowed hook, the fishing line also threatens the turtles, as it can tie around their limbs and neck, causing necrosis and even suffocation.
Furthermore, the turtle may swallow the fishing line itself, as the line is attached to a hook that is attached to the turtle's esophagus or throat.
The fishing line cannot pass completely through the digestive tract, and can cause the death of the turtle.
The Nature and Parks Authority asks citizens who have found sea turtles in distress or who have become entangled in waste - not to release them independently.
Removal of the threads that block the blood flow by unauthorized persons can doom the tortoise to death.
The toxins and bacteria that have accumulated in the blocked tissue spread with the renewed blood flow to the body, endangering the animal.
If the turtle has been released from the blocking wires in the area - it is important not to return it to the sea, but to contact the rescue center through the Nature and Parks Authority hotline * 3639.
