No formal steps by CIG on turtle meat for tourists
(CNS Business): World Animal Protection representative Neil D’Cruze, who was on Grand Cayman last week to meet with the Cayman Islands government, said that they were disappointed that they were not able to come to any formal agreement with CIG regarding the selling of sea turtle meat to tourists. However, D’Cruze, who is Head of Wildlife Policy and Research at the animal welfare charity, said that they had positive meetings with key restaurateurs, who indicated that they would be willing to stop putting turtle on the menu.
D’ Cruze said they were in the Cayman Islands to meet with the government and to try to find areas of commonality regarding the Cayman Turtle Farm
One particular issue they were keen to discuss was the fact that tourists are able to purchase farmed sea turtle meat when they come to Cayman. He said that WAP’s concerns are that while tourists aren’t usually in a position to poach turtles, many may be eating and developing a taste for sea turtle meat, which is an endangered animal that they will not be able to obtain legally or sustainably elsewhere.
In a video interview with CNS Business, he said they had been very encouraged by a number of discussions key restaurateurs in Cayman who have indicated that they would be willing to get to the point where they were still selling green turtle meat to Caymanians but no longer having it on their menu or on their billboards outside their restaurants.
“This would enable us to move away from the huge number of green sea turtles that are currently in the Cayman Turtle Farm and the huge economic costs that are associated with that … while still maintaining at the current time the Caymanian cultural heritage associated with eating sea turtle meat by Caymanians,†D’Cruze said.
The have had discussions with many stakeholders on the islands, including the CIG on the issue of tourists eating sea turtle, he said, but they are “a little bit disappointed that we weren’t able to come to a formal agreement … but we’re hoping that with continued dialogue that’s something that we can reach that will enable a really positive step moving forward on this issue.â€
See more of the interview with Neil D’Cruze later this week.
Category: Cruise Tourism, Stay-over tourism, Tourism, Video
As someone who is always here I am very glad that no one has taken the asinine decision to try and legislate what people can and can’t eat.
I recognise that WAP’s goal is to get turtle taken off all menus starting with the ‘most acceptable’ proposal they can think of. However, as one of the people they are kind enough to deign should be allowed to eat turtle in my own home (for now) I wonder how they expect me to know to order it if it not on the menu. Oh, I see, that’s the point, no one will order it.
I would be interested in WAPs explanation of why farming other ‘endangered’ species for profit, e.g., alligators, (including tourists eating gator) and showing people that you can have farms as ATERNATIVES to wild take of tasty (or leather producing) animals is OK. Except in Cayman. Because, you know, turtles are cuter than gators.
Perhaps WAP would do us all a favour, admit that there is no commonality between what they want (close the farm) and what we want (farmed turtle) and just stop coming here.
I think this gentleman is out of place coming to Cayman and suggesting what we put on our menu to eat. It is a part of our heritage and we will eat turtle meat anywhere we can get it. If tourist and visitors want it fine, If they do not, then that is more for us.
The Cayman Islands (mostly Grand Cayman) is very quickly becoming a thick international community.
I will respect any one person opinion on any given subject to do with these beloved Isles Cayman, however it is vastly becoming very one sided on the expatriate community half of the court.
The natural Cayman Born and bred community is slowly becoming shut out of their own right to stay traditional in their the land that they are born in (notice i stated born in, that will cover those foreign workers Children who are born here also, for those who are kind slow keeping up).
The opinion from myself someone who is Caymanian not only historically but also born and grew up here, feel quite disrespected that someone with no knowledge on the Caymanian traditions can come and tell us Caymanian,what and what not to eat.
Other countries have their respective delicacies and turtle is Cayman’s, we dont eat Turtle every day Mr D’Cruze, it a once in while dish, while some restaurants do serve it once a week at least, you will not see the same flocking there week after week, and those who do are few and far in between.
The turtle farm also is from the Cayman Islands Heritage, at one time the Islands were covered in turtles (you would know,if you bothered to read our history). However we made it our life’s work to ensure that the heritage stays for many generations, Thus the Turtle Farm.
As a compromise maybe we can change the name to the Turtle grounds or something like that.
I agree with what you are saying. Believe me, I do! I live in the US and we have to accept every nationality, religion, belief, etc. It is getting out of hand in every Country.
Here is my issue: I think it is fine that Turtle is a delicacy as you state, but the conditions in which these turtles are kept is disgusting. I visit Grand Cayman frequently and have been to the Turtle Farm ONCE and ONCE only. These turtles are swimming in their own feces, their shells look unhealthy, parts of their flippers are missing, some have no eyes, etc. This is a disgrace and it is because they are not “conserving” them properly. The Turtle farm does not need to overcrowd every “pool” they have. If they did smaller amount and kept the area cleaner, these animals would be healthier.
Here in the states, we have different kind of beef- grass fed, all organic, mass produced, etc. There is a difference in taste for each one of them. Personally the grass and corn fed is the most delicious. There has got to be a difference in taste from a wild turtle to a turtle raised in a tiny pool.
I don’t think that anyone has the right to come in and tell you what to eat, but you should think about what is really happening at the turtle farm. How much money is being wasted? How many of those turtles are truly suffering? How many of those turtles are diseased (and you are eating them)? I do not buy any of my meat from a mass produced farm, I only get it from small farmers. You are buying mass produced meat – turtle meat at that.
In short, do what you want but you should really think about what is in that meat you are eating. I am quite certain it is not healthy as none of the turtles even resemble being healthy!
All true (relatively – the gank about ‘no eyes’ is suspect). And nothing whatsoever to do with the original article. And this is the WAP fallacy. Raise an issue and then run away to another argument when their straw man blows down. So, moving on …
Please don’t compare the Turtle Farm to Old McDonald’s ‘free range organic no-GMO, etc.’ farm. Compare it to a batterry chicken farm. There is a choice in farming. Generally its ‘intensive & cheap’ or ‘low intensity & expensive’. The differences are sometimes minor but there it is. The farm has chosen to go for intensive farming. Here’s the question: If they went for less intensive – prettier – farming but the price of turtle meat went up, do you think poaching, i.e., the value of wild turtles, would go up? If the answer is no, please explain. If the answer is yes, do you think its better to eat ‘farmed but ugly’ turtle or endangered wild turtle?
Hi Me Again! Great post and I totally agree with your differentiating the farming methods. The “farm” could be intensive if they would at least give the turtles room to move. I would never agree with eating any turtle, but if it needs to be consumed, then it should come from a farm, not from the wild!
From what I understand, all of the turtles that I could see, were not the ones used for eating at that point. The ones that were for consumption were hidden behind the wall so no one could see the even more deplorable living conditions. This was told to me by a member of the staff (who obviously was not pleased with their job).
I saw quite a few that had NO EYES! No reason for me to lie about that. My mother and daughter had to walk away because it was just horrible. When we were there the swimming area was completely green and disgusting, with no one visiting. Maybe I went at a real bad time to the farm. As stated before, I will not visit again.
People will do what they want to do, as we see everyday. The cost of turtle is high and I believe that many are out poaching them, because they can’t afford the prices. Just like when I was there it was OFF SEASON for conch, and guess what? The people were pulling them out of the water left and right. OK not actually pulling them out of the water, they were breaking the shell, a tiny whole on the one end, and pulling the meat out of the shell, putting it in their pants, and then releasing the shell. Saw this everyday over on the Northside and East End.
Thanks for your response!
So, they could be intensive if they stock the tanks less intensly? Makes complete sense, not.
Turtles without eyes. Now its lots of them. Common sense and my own experience the few times I was there (though not recently) tell me you are wrong.
Yes, you didn’t see the farm ones. Conditions are probably more intense in the farm side. But its a farm, thats the point. Maximum stock per square foot. Just like chickens. But you “would never agree with eating any turtle”. So what’s the point of discussing farming practices? Here we come to the WAP rub.
Yup, the salt water swim area is algae overgrown. Bad system/idea design, no disagreement. Nothing whatsoever to do with the original article that tourists shouldn’t be allowed to eat turtle meat. Also little to do with ‘farming’ either. Just proving the point that most of the problem is with the Bosun’s Beach aspects fo the Farm. But don’t let that stop you from somehow conflating the issues.
So you saw lots of people in North Side and Est End poaching conch and putting the meat in their pants? See, its was almost beleivable until you went over the top. Every day, left and right, with conch in their pants. And lots of turtles with no eyes. – I’ll believe all of that malarky when I see it. Until then, good bye. Your made-up stories to somehow defend why your “don’t eat turtle” stance should apply to others are becoming seethrough.