Alexandria’s Governor Intervenes to Save Sea Turtles from Illegal Poaching

After illegal hunting and selling of sea turtles took over Egypt’s Mediterranean city of Alexandria, the city’s governor Mohamed Sultan launched a campaign emphasizing the illegality of the act and demanded severe penalties on those who don’t submit to the law.

The newly-appointed governor has demanded precautionary measures be taken to combat the illegal poaching, as the sea turtles are important for maintaining ecological balance. Sultan has also pushed for criminalizing the act with a prison sentence and a fine that ranges between EGP 5,000 and EGP 50,000.

The move comes after social media users started sharing photographs of local vendors selling sea turtles at some of Alexandria’s markets.

The governorate launched security campaigns in response to the outrage in order to return the sea turtles back to sea.

Meanwhile, Member of Parliament Mohamed Fouad filed a motion to the parliamentary speaker, asking for a parliamentary inquiry into the incidents of illegal fishing of small sharks and sea turtles in the Mediterranean Sea.