A mystery over the source of turtles allegedly sold as food in Bahrain has deepened after MPs discovered there are no records showing the animals were legally imported, raising fears that protected species could be reaching the market through an illicit supply network.
Parliament’s foreign affairs, defence and national security committee is aiming to widen its investigation into the sale of small turtles, with MPs now seeking to establish whether the animals were illegally caught in Bahraini waters or kept and bred in unlicensed private facilities.
The GDN reported in May that turtles small enough to fit in an adult’s palm were allegedly being openly offered for consumption, prompting concerns over both wildlife protection and food safety.
Committee chairman MP Hassan Bukhammas said the incident was only the starting point and praised the authorities for taking action after the turtles were reported for sale. But he warned that the investigation could not be considered complete until the source of the animals and those supplying them had been identified.
“We commend the authorities for the action they took when the incident came to light in May, but this is not where the investigation ends,” Mr Bukhammas told the GDN. “We need to know where these turtles came from, who supplied them and how they reached the market. Until those sources are dried up, the investigation is not over.”
Mr Bukhammas said the absence of import records had raised a particularly troubling question.
“If they were not imported, then we have to establish whether they were caught locally or whether someone is keeping them here,” he said. “If protected turtles are being held and supplied from private locations, that would point to a much more serious illegal trade that must be stopped.”
The committee has sought answers from the relevant authorities, including those responsible for the environment, agriculture, health, commerce and interior, as it examines how the animals could have moved from their source to the marketplace.
Mr Bukhammas stressed that the investigation must look beyond the individual sellers involved.
“Today it is turtles. Tomorrow it could be another protected species. If there is organised trade, it must be stopped. If there are illegal facilities, they must be found. And if there are gaps in enforcement, they must be addressed,” he added.
Committee vice-chairman MP Abdulla Al Romaihi said the case raised serious environmental and enforcement concerns.
“We need to trace the entire chain – from the source of the turtles to the people transporting, keeping, supplying and selling them,” he said.
He also praised the authorities for their response to the May incident, but said action against the immediate sellers would not be enough if the wider supply network remained intact.
“The authorities acted, and that was important. But we must understand how these turtles reached the market in the first place,” he said.
“If there is a source supplying them, that source must be identified and stopped.”
The investigation will also examine whether the turtles were taken from Bahrain’s waters, illegally brought into the country or raised or held locally before being sold.
Mr Al Romaihi said the health implications of the alleged trade could also not be ignored, particularly when animals enter the food chain outside regulated channels.
“These are animals of unknown origin being offered as food. We have to know where they were caught or kept, how they were transported and under what conditions they were stored,” he said.
“The parliamentary probe therefore remains focused on one crucial question: if the turtles were not imported, where did they come from – and are there more still being supplied?
“Also, is there an illegal trade in eggs from turtles and other species, including crocodiles, snakes, parrots and macaws. The investigation is continuing.”
Bahrain is a signatory to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). Under CITES, international trade in all marine turtle species is prohibited.
Investigations by TRAFFIC, a wildlife trade monitoring network operated jointly by the World Wide Fund (WWF) for Nature and International Union for Conservation of Nature, have shown persistent black markets for turtle meat, eggs, leather and taxidermy curios, particularly in parts of Asia.
mohammed@gdnmedia.bh
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