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Overharvesting and illegal trade

Sea turtles are often harvested for their meat, shell and skin. The eggs of the sea turtles are often collected too. They are sometimes killed for medicine and religious ceremonies, adding greater concern to the already declining population. Under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) there have been measures in place to ban poaching of sea turtles, however illegal trades still continue.