Pro-surfer rides a wave of controversy after he posts picture of himself on the back of a sea turtle
By Daily Mail Reporter
3rd November 2011
Riding on the back of a sea turtle may look like a lot of fun for the fish in Finding Nemo but the move has dragged one pro-surfer into a serious amount of trouble after his misguided attempt to highlight a deadly illness in the endangered species.
Jamie O'Brien, 28, posted the underwater picture, which appears to have been taken by a professional photographer, onto the Facebook page of local TV station Hawaii News Now on October 30.
Mr O'Brien from Oahu, Hawaii, added a message saying he was worried about the spread of fibropapillomatosis, a 'herpes-style virus' among sea turtles. The epidemic causes a breakout of benign tumours that makes it difficult for the creatures to move, breathe and can result in death.
Mr O'Brien writes: 'Fibropapilloma tumors are starting to show up on other sea turtle species in increasing numbers!
'If the same pattern of infection occurs as was seen with green turtles, it will not be long before FP outstrips even homo sapiens as the single greatest threat to marine turtles.'
Surfers in the area believe that the photo was taken off Oahu's north shore.
The backlash against Mr O'Brien's crusade started when it appeared that he had broken both state and federal laws with the stunt.According to the Federal Endangered Species Act, the fine for harassing a sea turtle can be as much as $13,200.
Wende Goo, at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in Honolulu told MailOnline today: 'He is under investigation by law enforcement.'
Representatives of Mr O'Brien's at sponsors Etnies and and Body Glove were unavailable for comment when contacted today.
Calls to photographer Brent Bielmann, who is thought to have taken the underwater, shot also went unanswered today.
While there’s no legal limit on how far away you should stay away from sea turtles (as there are with whales), the Division of Aquatic Resources website states that 'getting close to these animals may constitute a federal or state violation if the animal is disturbed or if your action has the potential to disturb its natural behavioral patterns'.
There is also Hawaiian culture to consider where the sea turtle is sacred.
Traditional belief on the islands tells of a green turtle Kauila who could change herself into a girl to watch over children playing at Punalu'u Beach.
Where Kauila's mother dug her nest, a fresh well of water sprung up to quench children's thirst. It is also said that the turtles were guides for the first voyagers to Hawaii.
In Disney's hit film Finding Nemo, a clownfish called Marlin searches for his son after he is captured by a scuba diver with the help of a sea turtle.
On the journey, Marlin encounters a Crush, surf-cultured turtle, who takes them on the East Australian Current.
While in the current, Marlin reluctantly shares the details of his journey with a group of young sea turtles and his story spreads rapidly word-of-mouth through the ocean and eventually reaches Sydney - and Nemo.
All sea turtles that live in U.S. waters are listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and are under the joint jurisdiction of NOAA Fisheries and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
There are several threats facing the endangered species including destruction of their habitats, commerical fishing and entanglement in marine debris.
Marine reserves and beaches in Hawaii are covered in signs against disturbing marine life and the reefs.
By Daily Mail Reporter
3rd November 2011
Riding on the back of a sea turtle may look like a lot of fun for the fish in Finding Nemo but the move has dragged one pro-surfer into a serious amount of trouble after his misguided attempt to highlight a deadly illness in the endangered species.
Jamie O'Brien, 28, posted the underwater picture, which appears to have been taken by a professional photographer, onto the Facebook page of local TV station Hawaii News Now on October 30.
Mr O'Brien from Oahu, Hawaii, added a message saying he was worried about the spread of fibropapillomatosis, a 'herpes-style virus' among sea turtles. The epidemic causes a breakout of benign tumours that makes it difficult for the creatures to move, breathe and can result in death.
Mr O'Brien writes: 'Fibropapilloma tumors are starting to show up on other sea turtle species in increasing numbers!
'If the same pattern of infection occurs as was seen with green turtles, it will not be long before FP outstrips even homo sapiens as the single greatest threat to marine turtles.'
Surfers in the area believe that the photo was taken off Oahu's north shore.
The backlash against Mr O'Brien's crusade started when it appeared that he had broken both state and federal laws with the stunt.According to the Federal Endangered Species Act, the fine for harassing a sea turtle can be as much as $13,200.
Wende Goo, at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in Honolulu told MailOnline today: 'He is under investigation by law enforcement.'
Representatives of Mr O'Brien's at sponsors Etnies and and Body Glove were unavailable for comment when contacted today.
Calls to photographer Brent Bielmann, who is thought to have taken the underwater, shot also went unanswered today.
While there’s no legal limit on how far away you should stay away from sea turtles (as there are with whales), the Division of Aquatic Resources website states that 'getting close to these animals may constitute a federal or state violation if the animal is disturbed or if your action has the potential to disturb its natural behavioral patterns'.
There is also Hawaiian culture to consider where the sea turtle is sacred.
Traditional belief on the islands tells of a green turtle Kauila who could change herself into a girl to watch over children playing at Punalu'u Beach.
Where Kauila's mother dug her nest, a fresh well of water sprung up to quench children's thirst. It is also said that the turtles were guides for the first voyagers to Hawaii.
In Disney's hit film Finding Nemo, a clownfish called Marlin searches for his son after he is captured by a scuba diver with the help of a sea turtle.
On the journey, Marlin encounters a Crush, surf-cultured turtle, who takes them on the East Australian Current.
While in the current, Marlin reluctantly shares the details of his journey with a group of young sea turtles and his story spreads rapidly word-of-mouth through the ocean and eventually reaches Sydney - and Nemo.
All sea turtles that live in U.S. waters are listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and are under the joint jurisdiction of NOAA Fisheries and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
There are several threats facing the endangered species including destruction of their habitats, commerical fishing and entanglement in marine debris.
Marine reserves and beaches in Hawaii are covered in signs against disturbing marine life and the reefs.
