Turtle-steak and turtle-steak and turtle soup were popular till late 20th century in U.S. They were also sold at markets and restaurants here in Honolulu, HI.
In 1970’s, turtle meat and carapaces going for $100 each on the open market.(Ganaden, 2011)
Turtle-steak and soup were served at fine dining
“Turtle soup. Turtle steak. Turtle salad. Founded in 1796, the Hoboken Turtle Club lured members, from politicians to literary figures, well into the 20th century. While membership was somewhat exclusive, the club routinely announced the arrival of ‘fine green turtles’ and invited all who could afford a ticket to dine on turtle for breakfast and dinner. So delicious was its turtle soup that the recipe was shared in newspapers across the country.”(Crawford, 2021)
Canned Turtle soups became popular
By the 18th century, increasingly affluent consumers from London to Miami enjoyed turtle soup and, by the mid-20th century, a rising American middle class, eager to mimic the tastes of the well-to-do, consumed ever more green turtle. Rather than sitting in high-end restaurants with white tablecloths, shoppers bought canned real and mock turtle soup for the family dining table.(Crawford, 2021)
The history of turtle steak and soup
“The first Europeans to eat these turtles were far from royalty, however. They were sailors, who kept live turtles aboard ship to guarantee themselves fresh meat during long voyages.”[Turtle Soup: From Class to Mass to Aghast, 2021]
“The fatty and lean parts of the green turtle had long fed an array of people, including slaves, sailors, settlers and indigenous populations.
By the 18th century, increasingly affluent consumers from London to Miami enjoyed turtle soup and, by the mid-20th century, a rising American middle class, eager to mimic the tastes of the well-to-do, consumed ever more green turtle. Rather than sitting in high-end restaurants with white tablecloths, shoppers bought canned real and mock turtle soup for the family dining table.”(Crawford, 2021)
“Turtles were once a food source for Native Hawaiians.”
Green Sea Turtles were once a food source for Native Hawaiians. The meat, viscera, and eggs supplemented the more common food sources like fish, birds, shellfish, coconuts, breadfruit and taro. Native Hawaiians valued the adult female turtle as a delicacy because of its high amount of green body fat. (Hara, 2021)
Green turtles were listed under the ESA in 1978.
According to Hawaii State Division of Fish and Game records, the total reported turtle catch from 1948-73 was 90,803kg. Lacking any system of verification, this is surely an underestimate (Balazs 1980).
Harvest of green turtles has been illegal since green turtles were listed under the ESA in 1978. It is possible that human take today is underreported, as anecdotal information suggests that some degree of illegal take occurs throughout the MHL, especially on the islands of Hawaii, Maui, Kauai, Molokai and Niihau. However, the exact extent of such take is unknown. (Seminoff, Allen, Balazs, Dutton, & Eguchi, 2021)
References
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