Recently, news has been circulating about a shipment of more than a thousand sea turtle scutes, painted blue and falsely labeled as “plastic recycle”, that was seized by US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) in Miami. To better understand this story, SWOT asked Billy Woody, formerly of the US Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), if he could explain the illegal trade of sea turtle products and the role of US agencies in combatting illegal trade.  

SWOT: How commonly are shipments intercepted like the one in Miami or other import/export hubs in the USA? Can we assume that there are more shipments that pass undetected? 

Woody: Sea turtle trinkets, shells, taxidermied mounts, eggs and meat are regularly seized by federal (FWS, NOAA, CBP, HSI, ICE, USDA) and state wildlife agencies (e.g., Texas Parks and Wildlife, Florida Fish and Wildlife, and others), and some US Gulf and Atlantic coast states are even involved in cases relating to the unlawful take of turtle meat and eggs within their borders as well. There are somewhere around 350 ports of entry into the US, and fully 50 border crossings where folks can legally cross the US/Mexico border by vehicle or on foot. Add to that mail facilities, railways, air and shipping traffic into Miami, New York, Newark, Chicago, Los Angeles, Houston, and Dallas (some of the busiest wildlife ports/inspection offices). So yes, it is highly likely that many illegal shipments, including those with sea turtle products, go undetected.

SWOT: “1400 pieces of sea turtle shells from about 100 turtles” seems like a lot in one shipment! Can you give us an idea of the magnitude of the trade and size of other seizures that take place across US borders?

Woody: There were about 1400 seizures of sea turtle products in 2016 by FWS alone, and I am currently collating data on seizures between 2017-2019 at all ports to better understand the scope and size of the problem, but the numbers can be deceiving and their actual impact in terms of numbers of turtles is even more difficult to calculate since the records are often vague, indicating for instance the seizure of a “diaper box” full of sea turtle scutes. Without knowing actual numbers, species, weight and other details, only very rough inferences can be made.

SWOT: The Miami Herald article states that the shipment originated in Central America and was bound for Asia - is it possible to be more specific (e.g. ports of departure and intended entry, companies involved, etc.) in order to better target conservation actions?

Woody: With a seizure the size of the one in Miami, CBP and FWS agents will certainly investigate, and quite a few wildlife cases are ultimately prosecuted every year by the Environmental Crimes Section of the US Attorney’s office – these agencies do a great job working together to get it done. In January, for instance, Miami’s CBP and FWS authorities executed one of the largest-ever seizures of illegal shark fins, weighing 1,400 pounds and worth roughly $1 million.

SWOT: The article states that CBP doesn't have the authority to do foreign investigations without specific permission. Can you explain how enforcement abroad happens?

Woody: FWS OLE (Office of Law Enforcement) now has agents stationed at embassies including Kenya, Gabon, Tanzania, China, Thailand, Vietnam, Brazil, Peru, Mexico, US Africa Command (USAAFRICOM) and the United Kingdom. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) also has thousands of agents in the US and in 45 countries who conduct international investigations and who work with the USFWS agents stationed overseas.

SWOT: How effective are these interceptions in the fight against the illegal wildlife trade?

Woody: Interceptions like this are quite effective at diminishing illegal wildlife trade, and CBP and FWS are right at the front lines of discovery. Due to fairly effective restrictions on legal trade thanks to CITES and other laws and treaties, sea turtle products are traded mostly on the black market where they command high prices. Not long ago, another shipment of nearly 1,800 sea turtle parts labeled “plastic recycle” were interdicted. Several of the pieces had bullet holes, a reminder that poaching of these endangered animals is still happening, and that some of the players are not just small-scale fishers trying to make a living. Seizures like these are generally just the beginning, and once the cases are referred by CBP, then FWS cat set its ample network of agents to work to take whatever enforcement actions they can.   

With degrees in Outdoor Recreation and Criminal Justice, and years of law enforcement experience, William “Billy” Woody has had a distinguished career as a wildlife professional. He was a Game Warden in the state of Utah for many years, where he also worked as Director of Law Enforcement for the Utah Department of Natural Resources. He then served as Director of Law Enforcement for the US Department of the Interior (FWS) from 2011-2017. He is now retired from government service, works as a consultant for the Wildlife Conservation Society, and remains a powerful advocate for nature.  

SWOT articles on Trade:

Nahill, B., & Nichols, W. J. 2017. Tortoiseshell Too Rare to Wear. In SWOT Report— The State of the World’s Sea Turtles, vol. 12: 35.

Lagueux, C. J., & Campbell, C. L. 2016. Caught in a Net - Green Turtles and The Turtle People of Nicaragua. In SWOT Report— The State of the World’s Sea Turtles, vol. 11: 34-35.

Vieira, S., Jimenez, V., & Hancock, J. 2016. Viva Tartaruga - Getting the Word Out in Creative Ways. In SWOT Report— The State of the World’s Sea Turtles, vol. 11: 32-33.

D'Cruze, N., Balaskas, M., Morrison, T., & Alcock, R. 2015. Sea Turtle Farming - Past, Present, and Future? In SWOT Report— The State of the World’s Sea Turtles, vol. 10: 26-27.

Donnelly, M. 2011. Sea Turtles and CITES. In SWOT Report— The State of the World’s Sea Turtles, vol. 6: 42-43.

Bjorndal, K. A., & Bolten., A. B. 2010. Policy Changes Protect Sea Turtles in The Bahamas: Long-term Efforts Rewarded. In SWOT Report— The State of the World’s Sea Turtles, vol. 5: 17.

Donnelly, M. 2008. Trade Routes for Tortoiseshell. In SWOT Report— The State of the World’s Sea Turtles, vol. 3: 24-25.

Mortimer, J. A. 2008. The State of the World’s Hawksbills. In SWOT Report— The State of the World’s Sea Turtles, vol. 3: 10-13.

Pilcher, N. J., Chan E. H., & Trono, R. 2008. Mass Turtle Poaching: A case Study from Southeast Asia. 2008. In SWOT Report— The State of the World’s Sea Turtles, vol. 3: 26.

Broderick, A. 2007. Recovery at Ascension. In SWOT Report— The State of the World’s Sea Turtles, vol. 2: 14.

Putra, K., & Bailey, L. M. 2007. Curbing the Balinese Sea Turtle Trade. In SWOT Report— The State of the World’s Sea Turtles, vol. 2: 30-31.