Based on the Government Regulation No.7 of 1999 about the conservation of flora and fauna, all turtle species in Indonesia including hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbicata) is protected species. This statement means that the species is forbidden to trade both alive and dead or its parts, including its carapace and eggs. Killing and injuring protected animals is also forbidden. This regulation is base on the act no. 5 of 1990 about the conservation of nature resource and its ecosystem.
Hawksbill has been protected since 1992 by the release of Decree of Ministry of Forestry No. 882/kpts-II/1992. While green turtle only protected 7 years later. The protection of hawksbill and other species of sea turtles were not without any reasons. In Government Regulation of 1999 article no. 5 explains about the criteria of determining a
Species of animals being protected are:
“A species of flora and fauna is obligatory determining into a protected group if it has fulfilled the criteria:
a.    having small population;
b.    the sharp decline on the individual number in nature;
c.    limited distribution (endemic)”
Sanction for the doer of catching, trading and the keeping of protected animals has clearly regulated in act no.5 of 1990, is charged to 5 years prison and fined up to 100 million rupiah.
But the animal protection law is made not only for paper notes but it is obligatory. This implementation works stagnant. Although in 2001 the government has act strictly in combating the turtle trade in Bali, but in several other places such as Yogyakarta and Makassar, trade of souvenir made from hawksbill happen openly and widely. In Bali, trade of turtle also is not completely stopped. It becomes the government duty to eliminate turtle trade before it is too late, because all aspects are obvious over the law. Trade on turtle and their part is forbidden illegal activities.

Fate of hawksbill is the same as green turtle. They are hunt and then slaughtered. Only the use is different. Green turtle is hunt for its meats while hawksbill is hunt for its carapace as the raw material for souvenirs. They have same fate, being slaughtered although protected by law. The weak law enforcement becomes one of the trigger of the existence of business in hawksbill trade, while many turtles have disappear.
The business of souvenir trade made from hawksbill turtle concentrated in Yogyakarta has stimulated the intensive capture of hawksbill in several areas. In order to fulfilled the demand of raw material the souvenir production, the craftmen and bussinesmen of hawksbill cooperated with number of hawksbill collector in Sulawesi, Flores, Madura, Nusa Tenggara, and Riau Islands Sumatera.
One of the central catching areas is in South Sulawesi. In this area there are many collectors of hawksbill carapace such as in Poutere, Galesong in Takalar Regent, and Satanga Island. In 2001 ProFauna investigator has visited 12 different locations including 9 islands in Sulawesi to trace the route of hawksbill trade route.
One of the important areas in hawksbill trade bussines is Poutere South Sulawesi, about 5 km from Makassar downtown. In Poutere, there is collector of hawksbill carapace names Jumain who own ware house near to Poutere (Poutere Street No. 74/102). Besdides collecting hawksbill carapace, Jumain also collects shark fin and sea cucumbers.
The hawksbill carapaces kept in Jumain are obtained not only from Makaassar, Galesong and Satanga Island, but also from other places except Makassar. While other places besides Makassar are from Nusa Tenggara such as Satengar Island, Kawasan Island, Saelus Island, North Maluku Islands, South-East Sulawesi (Buton Area), Madura, and islands around South Kalimantan. This fact describe that the trade on hawksbill souvenir has stimulate massive catching on turtles throughout the entire ocean of hawksbill habitat.
Jumain admits he can at least 1 time in a month to shipped average 100 kg hawksbill carapace to the number of exporters in Makassar. This fact is interested to trace because most exporters states that they are no longer export hawksbill. Jumain also shipped his hawksbills carapace to Yogyakarta and Klaten.
He admits to ProFauna and JWCS investigators he states that he is able to supply 400 kg of hawksbill carapace in each year if there is demand. Jumain has team consist of 6 men who ready to collect hawksbill carapace from fishermen.
The activity of hawksbill catching is not only happen in Sulawesi but also in Flores. ProFauna Indonesia investigator has visited several areas and an island in West Nusa Tenggara to collect data of hawksbill catching. The good news is when the governments conducting strict law enforcement toward the hawksbill traders in Bali in 2001-2002, several hawksbill catchers in Flores stop their catching activities and change their earnings into common fishermen or ship maker. This fact proved that by doing strict law enforcement toward the traders has brought effective result to protect turtles from trading.
Although the turtle buntings has much declined, the hawksbill catching in smaller scale still continues in some islands in Flores such as in Kukusan, Mesa, Papagarang, and Bajo. In this area, one hawksbill costs for Rp 100.000-200.000. They catch turtles using nets or dragnet. The turtle then shipped Tanjung Benoa Bali and Makassar.
Before 2000 several fishermen in Flores catch turtle in order to ship to Bali. A former turtle catcher in Menjangan Island admitted he is able to catch 10-70 turtles including hawksbill, only in a day. He used to ship 200-300 turtles to Bali once in two months. From the 200 sea turtles shipped to Bali usually 20 % of them died of dehydration. However, at this moment the fishermen in Flores state that it is difficult to catch turtles in Flores Waters. It might be an indication of the declining number of turtle in nature as the result of intensive hunting’s.

Jakarta city s citizen of Indonesian Republic cannot be parted from business of transaction of souvenir made from hawksbill. Trading of souvenir happen at supermarket such as Sarinah Plaza and Pasaraya Grande. At Sarinah Plaza there are 3 stalls sell many kind of handicraft made from hawksbill part located on the third floor. The three counters selling handicraft from hawksbill are Berdikari (owned by Sriati from Klaten), Dewi Sri Handicraft, and Ria. At Sarinah Plaza in June 2002 there are more than 360 souvenirs made from hawksbill, such as bracelet, bird cages, rings, hair clips, accessories box and hair combs.
Berdikari shop located in Sarinah Plaza intensively selling souvenir made from hawksbill parts. This fact can be seen from the shipment receipt of products as filmed by ProFauna Indonesia investigator. The souvenirs are supplied from Klaten, Central Java.
On the other side in Pasaraya Grande, there are 3 counters selling large quantity products made from hawksbill parts. Those three counters are Cipto Rukmi Handicraft, Perak Elisa, and MH Silver. Most of the souvenirs are supplied from Yogyakarta.
In Jakarta ProFauna Indonesia tried to disclose trade of hawksbill. A groub of people deeply involve in business of trade of wildlife parts formed a kind of association names Pondok Asri. This ascociation bases in Kemang Raya Street Jakarta. In 4th July 2002 ProFauna Investigator visited this house and was met by Hidayat and a man introduced himself as Kholil and Nyoman Mupu. Hidayat is a shop employee of handicraft leather at Pasaraya Grande Jakarta. These three men admit that they used to trade hawksbill carapace. They kept large number of hawksbill carapace stockpile for 150 kg. The carapaces are obtained from Sulawesi and Sidempuan Sumatera.

After the confiscation operation on sea turtle in July 2001, the sea turtle trade in Bali has declined significantly. It is the result of the penalty towards turtle trader including “king of sea turtle” Wewe for 1 year prison. However, it does not mean that trade on sea turtle in Bali has stopped at all from Bali. Most of the holding pens in Tanjung Benoa have closed, but the sea turtle trade still continually happens secretly. During the visits done by ProFauna Indonesia in 2002, the ProFauna investigator still found sea turtle slaughters in Tanjung Benoa.
The  evidence of sea turtle trade in Bali flourishing significantly by the arrestment of  ship carrying sea turtles in 7 October 2002 on Karangasem Beach in Bali. The motorboat KM Taruna Jaya was arrested because it carrying 114 green turtle (Chelonia mydas) from South Sulawesi intently shipped to Tanjung Benoa.
In 2003 water police of Bali succeed to confiscate 499 green turtles smuggled to Bali. In 4 June 2003 the water police of Bali, BKSDA Bali and helped by ProFauna Indonesia also conducted an action in Tanjung Benoa, but at this moment one of the ProFauna activist was attacked by the people including in sea turtle trade in Tanjung Benoa that caused the failure on this operation.
Base on the investigation from January-September 2004 it is found 3000 green turtle traded in Bali. The total numbers of green turtle secured by water police of Bali in 2004 are 268 green turtles and 28 of dried turtle chest (plastron) as the raw material for turtle crackers. In 2005 Polres (area police) Karangasem again successfully confiscated 9 green turtle smuggled by a police from Lombok NTB. This turtle was carried by public transportation from Lombok and across Bali by KMP Gading Nusantara, and then he was arrested in Padang Bai Port, Karangasem.
ProFauna Investigation about hawksbill turtle in Yogyakarta and Sulawesi has stronger the opinion that Bali becomes most important place for turtle trade. Bali send hawksbill carapace to Yogyakarta in order to create some forms of souvenirs. Bali also becomes one of the locations of souvenir made from hawksbill carapace.
In Pudut Island or known as Deluangsari in Tanjung Benoa area, there are several shops sell souvenir made from hawksbill. The souvenir besides locally produced in Bali also comes from Java. In this tourism area there are more than 3 holding pens for tourism destination. There are hundreds of turtle placed in these illegal holding pens. Control toward this holding pens is weak, there is no guarantee that the turtles kept in that place will not be slaughtered in order to take its meat.
In Denpasar Bali, there are 4 shops selling hawksbill souvenir namely Budiartha and Putra Bali stalls located at Kumbasari market, Sanjaya Shop and Artshop Mega located in Gajahmada Street No. 36 Denpasar. In Kuta ProFauna Investigator found that there are 4 shops selling products of handicraft made from hawksbill carapace in big quantity, namely Cobra Silver, Rensy’s Artshop, Nadya Silver, and Tangkas Collection. In these shops ProFauna Indonesia notes more than 560 souvenirs made from hawksbill parts sod here.
On 6 May 2003 BKSDA Bali and Polda Bali cooperated with ProFauna Indonesia conducting law enforcement by confiscating souvenir contains hawksbill part in Kuta and Denpasar. In that join operation thousands souvenir made from hawksbill has been successfully confiscated and burnt. The second operation was done in 4 June 2003 at a accessories shop in Sulawesi Street in Denpasar. In this operation hundreds of souvenir made from hawksbill has also successfully confiscated. Up to this moment, the souvenir made from hawksbill almost never found openly in Bali.
On the other hand near to Bali Island, there is continually practice of stuffed hawksbill. The locations are along Pasir Putih Beach Situbondo, East Java. The craftsmen of the stuffed hawksbills are from Raas Madura and also from Bali.

Kotagede is about 30 minutes from Yogyakarta play the important role in business trade of hawksbill products in Indonesia. Kotagede is known as the central silver and hawksbill handicraft. In this city there are many shops sell souvenirs made from hawksbill carapace. In October 2001 ProFauna Investigator noted 13 shops selling silver products as well as hawksbill products. Most of the shop concentrated at Kemasan Street.
Most of the shops selling silver in Kotagede also exported their products to several countries in Asia and Europe. But they admit that they do not export the products contains hawksbill parts because it has been forbidden by Indonesian law. However, they sell the products made of hawksbill carapace for domestic demand. ProFauna Indonesia noted more than 1300 souvenir of hawksbill sold at shops selling silver in Kotagede. This number is much higher than those sold at Malioboro Street in Yogyakarta.
The plenty number of souvenir made from hawksbill turtle sold in Kotagede is not surprising because in Kotagede there is hawksbill craft industry supplies many shops in Yogyakarta, Jakarta, and Bali. At this time in Kotagede there are two hawksbill craftsmen name Siswo Darsono and Pur Gepeng. The first previous name is the most known craftsman in Kotagede.
Darsono’s specification is making souvenir made from hawksbill carapace. Previously Darsono had ever been trying to use others material from other kind of sea turtles besides hawksbill but the result is not as good as the one made from hawksbill because the motif and its thickness is not as attractive as those hawksbill products.
Darasono has been very serious in managing his handicraft business since 16 years ago. He has production room equipped with complete tools and some employees work for him. The stockpiles in Darsono place is suppose to be more than enough to create into several kinds of souvenirs such as box accessories, bracelets, hair clips, hair combs, fans and ashtrays. Darsono can spend 20 kg hawksbill carapace to create many kind of souvenirs during a month.
The raw materials from hawksbill or bekko are supplied from Klaten, Bali, Sulawesi, Surabaya, and Kangean. Bali becomes important place while talking about hawksbill trade in Indonesia. ProFauna Indonesia investigation in 1999 shows about 27.000 sea turtles has been slaughtered in Bali. The green turtles are taken for the meat but the hawksbill is taken for its carapace used as the raw materials for souvenirs such as happen in Kotagede Yogyakarta.
Hawksbill business in Yogyakarta shows a correlation with Bali. Bali becomes one of supplier raw material of hawksbill carapace and the ready stock of souvenir from that raw material will be distributed back to Bali. ProFauna Indonesia thinks that it is important for the government should monitor and enforcing the strict measure toward sea turtle trade in Bali.
Darsono admit that he also ready to export souvenir made of hawksbill parts to several countries such as Japan, Korea, Singapore and Thailand. Darsono admits he does not directly export the products but he uses distributor in Bali.
Besides Darsono, in Kotagede there are also handicraft industries in smaller scale such as Haji Marsudi and Mrs. Rini. These industries only rely on orders from souvenir shops in Kotagede. But Darsono intensively produces souvenirs from hawksbill carapace.
Trade on souvenir contains hawksbill parts also continue happen in Kuwel, Klaten, and Central Java. One of central craft industries made from hawksbill carapace in Kuwel is Berdikari Shop owned by Sriyati. In Sriyati shop there are hundreds souvenir contains hawksbill carapace. She also has a show room at Sarinah Palaza on the third floor Jakarta. Most of the souvenir supplied from South Sulawesi.