The largest turtles on earth, leatherback turtles can be traced back to a family of turtles that existed 100 million years ago. With soft, rubbery shells measuring up to seven feet in length, these unique and historic creatures are easily identifiable. Over time, however, leatherback turtles are seen less and less often. In 1970, the species was deemed endangered- a label it continues to carry today.

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There are many reasons why the leatherback turtle population is declining: the destruction of coastal nesting habitats, the frequency with which turtles drown in fishing nets, the Malaysian preference for turtle eggs as sources of nutrition, and the inability of turtles to tell the difference between their main food source and plastics, to name a few.

For humans, particularly those who rely on fish as sources of income or food, the loss of the leatherback turtle will have serious repercussions. The turtles’ main source of nutrition is jellyfish. The loss of the leatherback turtle population would cause a burgeoning of the jellyfish population. Because jellyfish feed on fish larvae, the populations of commercially popular fish could decline, impacting fishermen and consumers, thus impacting our economy.

Leatherback turtles need human help, and there are many ethical reasons why fishermen should answer their plea. For starters, there is a historical aspect to the species existence. Leatherback turtles were on this earth well before humans were and only began their steep decline with the existence of humans. Because fishermen are the primary reasons why leatherback turtles are disappearing, it is their responsibility to clean up the mess that the majority of them have made. Furthermore, leatherback turtles play an important role in various ecosystems worldwide, and healthy ecosystems contribute to large economic gains, particularly in the fishing industry.

While we must work to ensure that the fishermen do not accidently kill the turtles that help maintain their jobs, we must not shy away from putting in effort to expand leatherback turtle populations worldwide.