FOR the Gudjuda people of the Whitsunday and Burdekin areas, the sea turtle is intrinsically linked to culture.
Last week, a new turtle research boat was handed over to the Gudjuda Reference Group to help with research into turtle populations between Bowen and Townsville.
The handover of the boat marked the start of the Turtle Rescue Mission - a new partnership between World Wildlife Fund Australia and fashion retailer Factorie Australia.
Reference group chairman Eddie Smallwood said the focus of the organisation's activities was to monitor the spread of the debilitating fibropapilloma virus in local turtle populations. The virus causes blindness, immobility, the obstruction of internal organs and death among green turtles, a species already on the brink of extinction.
"The turtle is still used as a food resource," Mr Smallwood said.
"We only utilise it when there are funerals, weddings, cultural events and days like Mabo Day.
"But it's up to everyone to help protect these turtles, non-indigenous too."
WWF Australia chief executive officer Dermot O'Gorman said marine turtles all over the world were under threat from numerous sources, including global warming, pollution, coastal development, incidental capture in fishing gear, disease, poaching and feral animals.
"The Great Barrier Reef is home to six of the world's seven species of threatened marine turtles, yet almost all of these turtles are considered endangered," Mr O'Gorman said.
James Cook University is also working with the Gudjuda people on the project.
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