Endangered sea turtle found dead with fishhook lodged in flipper

An endangered sea turtle was found dead in seas near Jeju Island on Saturday, with a fishhook lodged in its front flipper, the Coast Guard reported.

The Seogwipo Coast Guard Station said Monday that it located the dead body of a green sea turtle, a globally endangered species, in waters off Beophwan Port in the city of Seogwipo on Jeju Island.

The 60-centimeter-long turtle had a fishhook stuck in its right front flipper and was estimated to have been dead at least for 20 days, considering the rate of decomposition, officials said.

The exact cause of its death has not yet been confirmed.

Green sea turtles can grow to a size of approximately 1.5 meters in length and weigh up to 200 kilograms.

Their population has been on the decline due to climate change, a loss of nesting beach sites, illegal poaching and bycatch in fishing gear.

According to Seogwipo officials, over the past three years, a total of 61 dead green turtles have been discovered in waters off Jeju Island, with 19 found in 2021 and 17 found in 2022. A total of 25 deaths have been reported so far this year.

An official emphasized the significant threat posed to endangered marine animals by fishing gear such as fishing hooks and nets, urging people “not to produce marine litter in order to preserve at-risk marine creatures.”