Roxas city: The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) lauded a fisher from Roxas City, Capiz after his prompt report led to the rescue and safe release of a critically endangered hawksbill sea turtle which got caught in a fishing net off Barangay Talon.

According to Philippines News Agency, Environment Secretary Juan Miguel Cuna on Monday commended Arnold Bongalonta, saying his actions enabled authorities to respond before the juvenile hawksbill sea turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) suffered harm. 'By immediately reporting this entanglement, he saved a critically endangered life and proved that our local fishers are indispensable partners in conservation,' he said.

The DENR Capiz reported on Friday that while on his way home, Bongalonta found the turtle entangled inside his fishing net and immediately alerted authorities. After receiving the report, the Philippine Coast Guard alerted the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office, which immediately dispatched personnel from its Conservation and Development Section to the site.

The DENR team assessed the turtle and found no visible injuries or signs of distress despite the accidental entanglement. Measuring 31 centimeters in curved carapace length and 29 centimeters in curved carapace width, the juvenile Hawksbill Sea Turtle was declared fit for release and was returned to the sea.

The DENR said the hawksbill sea turtle is classified as critically endangered globally under the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species. In the Philippines, the species is strictly protected under Republic Act No. 9147, also known as the Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act.