Fishermen on the W and SW coasts take green turtle Chelonia mydas, loggerhead turtle Caretta caretta and olive ridleyLepidochelys olivacea for their meat. The hawksbill turtleEretmochelys imbricata is taken mainly for its shell and for making stuffed specimens. Leatherback Dermochelys coriacea is seldom caught. Different sources point to declines in numbers and average size for green and hawksbill turtles, coupled with marked declines in nesting rates for these and the olive ridley. High catches of green turtles around Toliara prove the importance of coral reef feeding grounds but may be depleting protected populations from Europa Island and elsewhere. Protective legislation exists but has not been enforced.