Malaysia’s turtle egg buyback scheme saved thousands — but is it sustainable?

Malaysia’s turtle egg buyback scheme saved thousands — but is it sustainable?

On the moonlit beaches of Terengganu state, on Malaysia’s east coast, green sea turtles have been returning for generations to lay their eggs. For just as long, people have collected, sold and eaten the eggs as a delicacy, supporting coastal livelihoods but stressing turtle populations. As a conservation compromise to balance livelihoods and turtle protection, the state’s Department of Fisheries (DoF) introduced a licensing system in 1951, aucti…