Brexit strands turtle 'Barnacle Bill' in the Channel Islands

Cover Media
·2-min read

A loggerhead turtle named 'Barnacle Bill' is struggling to return home to Gran Canaria due to Brexit.

The marine reptile washed up on Guernsey's west coast in November following bad weather. Bill, who is actually a she, was very cold and weak and covered in the crustaceans that give rise to her name.

Since then, she has been in the care of the Guernsey Society for the Protection of Animals (GSPCA) and has been growing and putting weight. However, the animal is on the endangered list, it needs export and import paperwork before it can be moved back to swim free in the warm waters of the Canary Islands.

"With us being outside the EU it seems to be a more complicated situation and we are still trying to find out exactly what is needed and what is happening," said Steve Byrne GSPCA Manager. A local has offered to fly Bill home on a private jet but there is still a question mark over whether she can be flown directly to Gran Canaria because of post-Brexit red tape.

Steve adds: "To move endangered species like loggerhead turtles we require export and import CITES documents and although we received the Guernsey forms very quickly we are still in need of the Spanish import forms.

"Currently there are concerns we might not be able to fly direct due to the UK being outside of the EU and we are awaiting clarification on what might need doing and what options we have. "The last turtle pre Brexit the process was much easier and we are aware of 8 turtles also needing to be transported to the same rescue from the UK in similar situations." Moving the turtle is a priority as her current swimming quarters are too small for her.

"The most important thing is we need to get Barnacle Bill back where she belongs as she is growing every day and we may need to find her much larger swimming quarters," Steve explained.

To help her while she waits for Brexit red tape to be sorted, Steve and the GSPCA team have appealed for anyone who owns a heated swimming pool that may be suitable for her to contact the GSPCA.

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