HONOLULU — An advisory committee that helps fishermen avoid catching sea turtles by mistake is meeting this week.

The Seat Turtle Advisory Committee of the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council is due to convene Wednesday and Thursday in Honolulu.
It’s expected to review its conservation program and recommend future priorities.
The council says past efforts have reduced the Hawaii-based longline fishing fleet’s interactions with sea turtles by 90 percent.
The council has supported protecting and managing important loggerhead and leatherback nesting beaches in Japan, Indonesia, and Papua New Guinea.
These are highly migratory turtles that pass through Hawaii waters.