Overexploitation

Sea turtles continue to be overexploited. Overexploitation, also commonly known as overharvesting or overfishing, is the act of using natural resources too much to the point of no return (Cambridge Dictionary). It all began years ago when sailors, like Christopher Columbus hunted sea turtles for their eggs, meat, and shell as their source of food and income. When they found out that there were plenty of sea turtles in the sea, Columbus and other sailors continued to hunt them. They would eat, trade, and sell the sea turtles’ meat and eggs. They would use their shell and turn them into jewelry and combs, which they would sell to make a profit out of it. Although it is illegal to trade sea turtles, some humans from other countries around the world still harvest them to this very day.

 

Also, fisheries that continue to hunt other marine species, other than sea turtles, are also causing the destruction of sea turtles. Sea turtles would accidentally get caught and entangled in nets, traps, hooks, and other fishing gears. Unable to escape these traps, sea turtles sustained injuries, drowned, or got washed up dead on the shore (Bennett). Therefore, sea turtles are endangered due to overexploitation. ​