Table 3.
Summary of the similarities and differences in the Results presented in this manuscript
| Results | Similarities | Differences |
|---|---|---|
| Target species | BOTH Qoma and Denimanu fishers target green and hawksbill turtles. Green sea turtles are more preferred for their tasty meat. | Qoma fishers left eggs alone because they were considered sacred. Denimanu fishers collected hawksbill turtle eggs for subsistence use until 2000. |
| Fishing methods | BOTH Qoma and Denimanu fishers used net fishing and spear-fishing to capture juvenile and adult sea turtles. |
Qoma fishers perform a turtle hunting ritual and adhere to a strict set of rules for the duration of the turtle hunt. Denimanu fishers captured sea turtles (whenever they were spotted prior to the turtle legislation) |
| Chief’s decision-making | The chief makes the decision in turtle harvest which occurs in BOTH Qoma and Denimanu. |
The Qoma chief’s decision is based on the needs of the community. The Denimanu chief’s decision is based on the importance of the ceremony, abundance of sea turtles and availability of substitutes such as pigs or cows. |
| Role as traditional turtle hunters for paramount chiefs |
BOTH Qoma and Denimanu turtle hunters are gonedau (traditional fishers) for paramount chiefs in their respective Districts. Therefore, they are traditionally obliged to present sea turtles as the head of their tributes. The paramount chiefs of these two areas adhere to the sea turtle legislations, therefore discourage the harvest of sea turtles. |
|
| Sea turtle capturing season | BOTH Qoma and Denimanu fishers target sea turtles during their mating and nesting periods. |
Qoma fishers still capture sea turtles but only after they get permission from their chief. Denimanu fishers capture and release sea turtles for monitoring and conservation purposes during their nesting season. |
| Response to legislations | BOTH Qoma and Denimanu fishers are aware of the sea turtle legislations |
Qoma fishers continue to capture sea turtles with or without licenses. Denimanu fishers capture sea turtles only after they get both license and approval from their chief |