The classification of green sea turtles in Florida has been changed by two federal agencies. The said species are now under the threatened list from endangered which is considered a victory for conservation.
According to Florida Today, green sea turtles have been listed as threatened species except the breeding population in Florida and the Pacific coast of Mexico since 1978. But the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Fisheries and the US Fish and Wildlife Service believe that the reclassification is brought about by the continuing successful conservation efforts.
As reported by ABC News, Dan Ashe, director of the Fish and Wildlife Service said the reclassification only shows the great partnership between various government agencies and other organizations that are really making difference.
Eileen Sobeck, the assistant administrator for fisheries at NOAA, also said that the successful conservation plans and management efforts which are developed in Florida and parts of Mexico served as a guide for the further recovery of the green sea turtle population around the world as per Sunshine State News.
The significant agencies and organizations took years of protecting the nesting sites and prohibiting the direct harvest of green sea turtles in order to help increase the numbers of nesting turtles in Florida. One prominent personality was Ross Witham who was an accomplished sea turtle conservationist in Florida during the last century. Witham was a marine turtle coordinator for the Florida Department of Natural Resources from 1963 to 1987.
Despite the reclassification, substantial challenges still remain in restoring and conserving the green sea turtle population around the world. Some of the threats that still remain are fisheries bycatch, direct poaching of turtles and their eggs, and habitat destruction. An increase in the sea temperature and changes in the climate are also seen as a deterrent in the turtle population. But with the help of government agencies and the concern of organizations, the drive to help the green sea turtle population bounce back is stronger than ever.
