Coast Guard: Endangered sea turtle caught in net off Antique released to sea

An endangered female green sea turtle that was trapped in a fisherman's net in Sebaste town in Antique province was released to sea earlier this week, the Philippine Coast Guard said Friday.

The Coast Guard said it and representatives from the Municipal Environmental and Natural Resources Office and Municipal Agricultural Office released the "Chelonian Mydas" turtle before noon of Feb. 5.

In a post on its Facebook account, the Coast Guard said the turtle was caught in the fishing net of Keterio Orhada about 200 meters from the shoreline of Barangay Aras Asan in Sebaste.

"Orhanda brought the turtle to the shore and reported it to the authorities," the Coast Guard said.

The Coast Guard described the turtle as 26 inches wide and 29 inches long, with white spots on the back.

Before releasing the turtle at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, the MENRO tagged it with a stainless plate marked "DENR-Sebaste." — VC, GMA News