Actor Liu Ye releases a sea turtle in the South China Sea near Sansha city, May 23, 2018. （Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn）
In a new effort to protect increasingly endangered sea turtles in a region that has long been a focal point of the sea turtle trade, multiple Chinese government agencies are partnering with WildAid celebrity ambassador Liu Ye to announce new measures that will both protect habitat and reduce demand for sea turtle products.
The efforts are being spearheaded by the Fisheries Resource Management Bureau under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, establishing a new "Sea Turtle Alliance" comprising a wide range of government agencies, academic institutions, and NGOs related to the conservation of sea turtles.
The alliance, formally established on Tuesday in Sanya, Hainan will help focus a new emphasis on improving management of protected areas, combatting illegal trade, and increasing public awareness on the plight of endangered sea turtles.
WildAid also released a new series of messages featuring actor Liu Ye and his wife Anais Martane that will be distributed throughout China this summer.
Speaking at the event, actor Liu Ye said that "we can all do something really simple to help protect sea turtles, and that is simply not buying sea turtle products. We should all also reduce our use of plastics, and keep plastic waste away from coastlines".
