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Traditional fishing gear used by local fishers in Lake Trou Caïman, Haiti: (a) fish-traps; (b) fishing basket net; and (c) trammel net. (Photographed by Jeffey M. Paul).
Source publication
The Hispaniolan Slider (Trachemys decorata) is a freshwater turtle of conservation interest, endemic to the island of Hispaniola. Although the species is known to be threatened with habitat destruction, hybridization with congeneric species, and commercial harvesting, little information is available on natural populations. Here we report the result...
Context in source publication
Context 1
... surface covered by the nine quadrats was 5.305 km². We characterized all quadrats by the percentage of emergent cattail cover at the time of the study (estimated by eye). Within quadrats, we captured turtles using traditional fishing gear used by local fishers (i.e., conical fishing basket nets (modified fyke nets), fish-traps, and a trammel net; Fig. 3). Traditional, wood-framed, conical fishing basket nets were 75-80 cm long, 45-50 cm high, with a 40-45 cm outside diameter and an overall fish shape. They included nylon mesh (5-8 cm) leaders stretching out from the entrance, measuring 1.5 m in length and 1 m in width, and aimed at leading turtles into the net. The fish-traps were ...
Citations
... Although Parham et al. (2013) documented hybridization with the invasive congeneric species Trachemys stejnegeri in the Dominican Republic, the magnitude of the phenomenon throughout the geographical range of the species remains undocumented. More recently, Paul et al. (2022) provided some information about the ecology and the conservation status of T. decorata in Haiti, showing that hybrids can be found in Haiti where natural populations are exposed to bycatch and commercialization by local fishers. ...
... Hispaniolan sliders are sold at traditional outdoor markets in cities and villages in Haiti. However, there is little information on the turtle trade in Haiti, making it difficult to assess its extent and impact on natural populations (see Paul et al. 2022). In particular, the importance of local demand in relation to various uses remains largely undocumented. ...
... Fishers can keep some turtles as pet animals for their own children for some time before eventually selling them. Most turtles kept as pets at Trou Caïman are underfed and in poor condition, with about 50% of them showing damaged carapace or body wounds (Fig. 4) compared with only 5% of wild individuals (Paul et al. 2022). ...
