A green sea turtle
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UNITED ARAB EMIRATES (CNN) -- Green sea turtles have lived in the Persian Gulf for 180 million years. But during the past 20 years, their numbers have declined because of modern development.

The United Arab Emirates, a small nation that lies between the gulf and the Indian Ocean, is striving to help the endangered turtles by combining the efforts of scientists and traditional fishermen.

Government biologists say threats to the turtles include pollution, habitat loss and poaching.

Many sea turtles also end up as a "by-catch," caught by accident in the nets of fishermen looking for other game.

In large commercial fishing operations, winding up as a by- catch is fatal. Shrimp trawlers off the coasts of many countries use giant gill nets that ensnare and drown turtles.

Traditional fishing nets in the U.A.E. are made of fine mesh

But in the U.A.E., shrimp trawlers, gill nets and long lines are forbidden, and the fishermen use only traditional methods.

"The nets are very fine mesh, and the process is very slow to bring the nets ashore. I would think it nearly impossible that a turtle could die as a by-catch of the fishing that's going on here," said George Balaze of the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

When a fisherman catches a turtle, he is encouraged to report it to government researchers. Biologists from the government's Marine Environment Research Center then tag the turtle with a tracking device and release it back into the sea.

"It's a beautiful collaboration between traditional fishing and modern scientific research," Balaze said.

Researchers hope that by monitoring the turtles' numbers and their movements, as well as setting aside protected beaches where they can lay their eggs, they will let these ancient creatures survive for centuries to come.

Correspondent Paul Caron contributed to this report.