Discarded ghost nets from illegal fishing boats are responsible for many marine turtle deaths.
Zoologist, Jennie Gilbert, has spent the past 12 years researching declining turtle numbers and rehabilitating injured turtles from her bases in Cairns and Fitzroy Island.
“Some of the major causes of diminishing numbers of marine turtles are anthropogenic insults,” she said.
“These include degradation of water quality, loss of nesting beaches and marine debris.”
Turtles suffer a slow death due to drowning or starvation if they are caught in the nets or if they ingest man made waste such as drink bottle caps or plastic bags.
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