Sea turtle ranch, 1990

Can of sea turtle meat (around 1980)

Sea turtle ranch, (1983)

Libération newspaper (1985)

THE LIME INDUSTRY

Long before it had any connection with sea turtles, the Kelonia site had been dedicated to lime production from nearby coral reefs. In 1940 the tallest lime furnace on the island was built there but within ten years it began experiencing competition from imported lime and cement. By 1960 it was no longer viable and was closed. In 1969 the Prefecture prohibited any further coral extraction from the lagoon and the production of lime from coral died out. It had been a very labour intensive industry.

As had his father before him, Jean Marc Atrigo had been employed at the furnace until its closure. “It was hard work. The whole day long we carried baskets of coral on our heads. Often the lime stuck to our skin. In order to get it off we rubbed down with coconut oil...”

THE TURTLE INDUSTRY
THE FARM CORAIL

In 1977 the laying of the foundation stone of the “Ferme Corail” raised great expectations in Reunion. Financed by local and metropolitan capital and with the support of local communities this innovative aquaculture establishment was expected to create employment and earn foreign exchange through international export of primarily turtle products. The St Leu pilot project was expected to lead to a facility producing 1000 tonnes of products annually. However from the very beginning the farm attracted serious criticism from Paris-based and other international Non Government Environmental Organisations opposed to turtle farming on grounds of principle.

The turtle ranching component quickly developed a viable economic network on Reunion. The training of artisans to work with turtle products was very successful. Between 1980 and 1982 seven craft centres working with tortoiseshell, leather and bone were established. A regular supply of turtles enabled restaurants to offer turtle meat and soup and the industry to offer samoussas, smoked meat, canned soups and stews and marine turtle liver spreads and pates. In small quantities turtle meat was made available for some local school facilities.

TURTLE RANCHING

The ranching of marine turtles is based on the collection of wild turtle hatchlings on natural nesting beaches and the raising of these hatchlings in captivity until they have reached a marketable size. A ranch is entirely dependant on natural reproduction on wild beaches.

A breeding farm of marine turtles, by contrast, requires the maintenance of a large herd of adult animals in a very large and expensive artificial facility. The intention is then to have the captive adults lay eggs within the farm which are then hatched and reared for slaughter at an appropriate size.

The Saint Leu ranch captured newborn hatchlings on the nesting islands of Europa and Tromelin where several million hatchlings are born every year. In order to reduce any possible threat to the normal hatchling production on the islands only those hatchlings emerging during daylight, and thus normally all killed by predatory birds (especially frigate birds) were gathered. The exact quantity of hatchlings collected was determined by the Prefecture following a study by ISTPM (now IFREMER) on the estimated number of nesting animals visiting these islands. Results were based on the number of nesting tracks counted daily by the personnel of Meteo France then based on the islands.

Despite this endeavour soundly based on the sustainable use of a massive natural resource, the ranching project continued to attract criticism from environmental NGOs. The operational situation became more difficult in 1981 when marine turtles were listed under Appendix 1 of the Washington Convention (better known as the Convention for the International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES)). This listing effectively prohibited the export of turtles or their products internationally.

Responding to the recognition that wild turtles were a valuable resource the Prefecture in 1983 proclaimed a “Cease and Desist” order that effectively protected wild turtles.

France declared a Reservation regarding the listing of its green turtle population and in 1984 appointed an international Tribunal to investigate the Farm Corail and make recommendations regarding the future of the farm, with emphasis on conclusions concerning the any threats the farm might pose to the wild populations from which the hatchlings were collected. It was the firm opinion of the Tribunal that the farm had great value to the people of Reunion, was operated efficiently and posed no threat to wild populations of green turtles.
Despite this report France did not succeed in convincing CITES of the value of the farm and regrettably stopped the lucrative export of turtle products from Reunion. This effectively limited the market to Reunion itself an island ill placed to purchase high value products the sale of which provided the economic viability of the farm.

The argument against turtle farming especially amongst many environmental non-government organisations, was that the production of farmed or ranched turtle products would encourage the poaching of turtles around the world.

The opposite view, that the production of responsibly ranched turtle products would be an aid to conservation efforts, is gradually gaining credence following the huge success of a broad spectrum of wildlife farming in South Africa, the spread of crocodile farming around the world (which has virtually wiped out the poaching of wild crocodiles) and the restoration of vicuna populations in South America following the introduction of controlled and sustainable utilisation programmes.

FISH FARMING

Oreochromis mossambicus a fish capable of surviving high saline variations. The ranch soon mastered the reproduction of this fish on site which led to the more efficient utilisation of the turtle ponds and the maximum consumption of the food distributed to the turtles.

By the 1990s up to 25 tonnes per year of this fish were supplied to restaurants and fish stores under the name “Corail Red”, a reference to its bright uniform red colour.

After having successfully bred more than 15 generations of this Tilapia in sea water, and exported the fish to West Africa, this aquaculture programme was terminated just a few years after the end of the turtle ranching endeavour with which it had been associated.

AN UNFORTUNATE END TO AN UNNECESSARY CONTROVERSY

The St Leu ranch was a symbol of success for a Reunion that was seen to be innovating to free itself from an endemic high unemployment rate and to help its trade balance by exporting high value products made in Reunion. The supporters of the ranch believed, and many still do, that the marketing of ranched products would have the effect of lowering the pressure on wild populations. Certainly the association of the ranch with the wild populations on the islands of Europa and Tromelin guaranteed the protection of those islands to ensure the continuity of hatchling collections. In fact Reunion had, as a result of the interest generated in marine turtles, already declared all its turtle islands as protected nature reserves as the farm was established. This was surely a great conservation achievement!

At its height in the 1980s the Corail Turtle Farm had become the most visited tourist site on Reunion Island and had created over 80 full time jobs. A singular contribution to the well being of the people of Reunion.

Fortunately the Reunion Council, in its traditional support of matters concerning marine turtles, has remained faithful to the belief that turtles are capable of sustainable utilisation,even if mainly non-consumptive at this time, and has made available the resources necessary to create Kelonia. This innovative centre of excellence for marine turtle research and public education, with huge tourism value, is a testament to the vision of the people of Reunion Island.