Pro Peninsula

THE GRUPO TORTUGUERO

GRASSROOTS SEA TURTLE CONSERVATION NETWORK

THE GRUPO TORTUGUERO

 TABLE OF CONTENTS

1 INTRODUCTION
2 ANNUAL CONFERENCES: Octava Reunión del Grupo Tortuguero
4 RESULTS:

SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH PRESENTATIONS

4 Analysis of Black Turtle (Chelonia mydas agassizii) Trophic

Structures in Bahía de los Ángeles B.C., Utilizing Qualitative
Techniques

5 Paradise in our own Back Yard: Valuing our Natural and Cultural
Resources

6 Eco-Friendly Seafood Options to Protect Endangered Species

7 Health and Diseases of Sea Turtles in Baja California

9 Habitat Use of the Loggerhead Turtle in Baja California Sur, 1998-

2005: High use areas in the waters near the coast provide an
opportunity for conservation

10 Loggerhead Turtle Mortality in Baja California Sur, Mexico

12 Evaluating the Distribution and Quantity of Loggerhead Turtles

(Caretta caretta) along the Pacific Coast of the Baja California
Peninsula

13 By-catch and Direct Exploitation – Mortality Rates and Causes for

Sea Turtles in the Baja California Peninsula

GOVERNMENT PROGRAMS

15 National Project for Conservation of Prioritized Species CONANP

2005-2006

16 National Marine Turtle Program

YOUTH ACTIVITIES

17 Loggerhead Turtle (Caretta caretta), the Pride of Adolfo López Mateos

17 It Takes a Village: Students as Catalysts in Sea Turtle Conservation

18 Native Oceans Council 2006

19 Meeting of the Youth of the Californias for the Conservation of Sea
Turtles

PRESENTATIONS BY PARTICIPATING COMMUNITIES

Monitoring and Research: Nests, Hatchings and Captures

21 Acuario de Veracruz
21 Nación Comcaac
21 Agua Verde
21 El Pardito
22 Laguna Ojo de Liebre
22 Laguna San Ignacio
22 Puerto Adolfo López Mateos
22 San Carlos
22 Punta Abreojos
22 Playa San Valentín Petatlán
22 Cabo Pulmo
23 Coire Opio
23 Puerto Arista y Barra Zapulco
23 San Cristóbal y Agua Blanca
23 San José del Cabo
23 Chacahua Pastoría; Superior e Inferior
23 Aquila
23 Bahía de los Ángeles
24 Grupo Tortuguero

Important Community Developments and Turtle Camp Programs

24 proCaguama
25 Nación Comcaac
25 Colala
25 San José del Cabo
25 Islas Key, Indonesia
26 Loreto
26 Campamento Don Manuel Orantes
26 Acuario Mazatlán
26 Mulegé
26 El Pescadero
27 Punto Arista y Barra Zapulco
27 ASUPMATOMA
27 Paso de Noria
27 Grupo IEMANYA

28 Sponsors and Volunteers

 The Grupo Tortuguero

Five species of sea turtle inhabit the Eastern Pacific;

all are endangered (IUCN Red List, 2000) and four
are ecologically extinct. Sea turtle mortality is due
to direct capture by poachers who sell turtle meat
and eggs on the black market and by incidental
capture in fishing nets, trawls, and on longlines.
While publications on sea turtle ecology, health and
genetics are expanding, until recently there were few
on-the-ground projects addressing the main threats
to turtle survival. The Grupo Tortuguero was formed to fill this void and recover Eastern Pacific sea
turtle populations. It is a network of individuals, communities, organizations, and institutions from around
the world dedicated to sea turtle conservation. Due to the efforts of the Grupo Tortuguero and all of its
members, a growing number of successful conservation projects have been initiated throughout the
peninsula and Mexico aimed at understanding sea turtles and the threats to them, as well as saving these
endangered animals.

Each year the Grupo Tortuguero holds a meeting in Baja California Sur, Mexico for all members as well
as researchers, international partners and conservationists. The purpose of the meeting is to foster
collaborative efforts between community members, enforcement officers, researchers, policy makers and
regional conservation organizations and, ultimately, to fulfill the mission of the Grupo Tortuguero.
Participants share data and ideas, develop regional strategies, and learn leadership skills. Members
present results of research and monitoring projects, and attend training workshops. Most importantly,
conservation strategies are debated and developed, and critical personal relationships are formed and
renewed. This meeting is a key factor in the success of the Grupo Tortuguero network, the relationships
developed and the lessons learned are critical for the members and their projects throughout the region.

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 Annual Conferences

One of the ways in which the Grupo Tortuguero fosters network building and encourages conservation
and awareness about sea turtles is through its annual conferences. Each year the Grupo Tortuguero holds
a meeting in Mexico for all members as well as researchers, international partners and
conservationists. This meeting has grown from 45 in 1999 to almost 350 in 2006. Participants share data
and ideas, develop regional strategies, and learn leadership skills. The purpose of the meeting is to foster
collaborative efforts between researchers, community members, enforcement officers, and regional
conservation organizations and, ultimately, to accomplish the goals of the Grupo Tortuguero. At the
annual meeting, members present results of research and monitoring projects, and attend training
workshops. Most importantly, conservation strategies are debated and developed, and critical personal
relationships are formed and renewed. Members may be asked to perform outreach in their communities
or take part in monitoring of sea turtle health and populations in their area. In 2006 the group held its
eighth annual meeting.

Octava Reunión Anual del Grupo Tortuguero

¡Celebrando un Tesoro Nacional!

The 8th Annual Meeting of the Grupo Tortuguero was held January 27-29, 2006 in Loreto, Baja
California Sur, Mexico. The theme of this year’s meeting -Celebrando un Tesoro Nacional- (Celebrating
a National Treasure) reflects the important role sea turtles play in the history, culture, traditions and lives
of people throughout Mexico and the world. This meeting has grown from a small gathering of 45
peninsula residents who wanted to save sea turtles in 1999, to the region’s premiere grassroots
conservation meeting.

Focus on Community:
The 8th annual meeting was held in the historic center of
Loreto, utilizing local hotels, restaurants and open spaces. It
was our goal to foster economic activity within the community
of Loreto, as well as give participants an opportunity to get to
know and understand the beauty and history of Loreto. The
central location of the meeting, as well as the use of local
businesses, added to the grassroots feel of the meeting and
highlighted the importance of community in conservation.

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Almost 300 people registered for this year’s meeting,
and many attendees brought family members and
friends, taking our total number of participants to close
to 350- a new high for the annual meeting!
Participants came from all over the Baja California
peninsula, mainland Mexico and the U.S., and
represented communities, grassroots and international
organizations, government agencies, businesses,
museums and cultural societies, and universities and
research institutions. This unique blend of people is
what sets this meeting apart; it is truly a blend of
individuals, all bound through their dedication to bring
sea turtle populations back from the brink of extinction.

The focus of the Grupo Tortuguero is at the community level, through the participation of communities in
sea turtle conservation and the expansion of this network to new communities throughout the region. The
annual meeting centers on the participation of community members and each year we strive to involve
more communities and more people. Over 40 communities from Mexico and the U.S. were represented at
this year’s meeting, including new members from Chiapas, Veracruz and other sites throughout mainland
Mexico.

The Orantes Prize: Celebrating Loreto:

Every year a community is chosen to receive the Don Manuel Orantes
Conservation Award, named after one of the pioneers of sea turtle
conservation on the peninsula, recognizing individuals and
communities for their outstanding conservation work. This year the
award was presented to the community of Loreto, host of the Annual
Meeting of the Grupo Tortuguero. Without their tremendous efforts
throughout the last eight years, the annual meeting would not be what
it is today- the region’s premiere grassroots conservation meeting.

Greening the Grupo Tortuguero:

In our effort to truly be the region’s premiere conservation
meeting, we set up recycling stations throughout the meeting
venue and close to 100% of the waste from the meeting was able
to be recycled or reused. Plastic, paper, Styrofoam, glass, cans,
food- it was all sorted and sent away to be recycled or used in
compost after the meeting. Many thanks to Cecilia Fischer and
the Loreto Bay Company for making this possible!

2doEncuentro para Jovenes y Niños:

The 2nd Meeting of the Youth of the Californias for the Conservation of
Sea Turtles took place concurrent with the Grupo Tortuguero meeting.
The event was organized by the Grupo Tortuguero, Pro Peninsula, Grupo
Ecologista Antares, and the H. IX Ayuntamiento, BCS, working through
the Sea Turtle Protection Program, who was in charge of developing the
program under the direction of Biologist Graciela Tiburcio and Sergio
Román García, with the help of the education department of the
Mazatlan Aquarium.

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Through the specially designed classroom activities and workshops, the central
goal was for participants to come out of the meeting enabled to: 1) Understand
the urgency of participating in sea turtle and environmental conservation
campaigns; 2) Develop new habits and behaviors regarding the environment,
contributing to the conservation of natural resources; and 3) Obtain the
knowledge and tools necessary to develop projects that can be carried out in
their schools and communities.

RESULTS
In 2006 more than ever before, the
Grupo Tortuguero’s model itself
is being widely shared. It has
been adopted by groups such as those working on sea turtle
conservation in Indonesia and shark conservation in the
eastern Pacific. This is one of several signs of success.
However, the clearest sign that the work of the Grupo
Tortuguero is bearing fruit comes from the sea turtles
themselves. Monitoring data suggest that we are seeing the
beginning of a recovery in both east Pacific green turtles and
loggerhead turtles. Olive ridley nesting continues to be on
the rise as well. It’s still far too early to ease up on
conservation efforts, as hawksbill and leatherback turtle
populations remain alarmingly low, but some of the trends
give us hope. And hope, good news and encouragement are surely welcome! The following is a summary
of the important scientific and community presentations given at the eighth conference.

SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH PRESENTATIONS

Analysis of Black Turtle (Chelonia mydas agassizii) Trophic Structures in Bahía de los
Ángeles B.C., Utilizing Qualitative Techniques
María Teresa Ruíz Vallejo y Gabriela Montaño-Moctezuma

Objective:
The present research project intended to
develop a mathematic and cualitative model
that could adequately describe the
population of sea turtles in Bahía de Los
Angeles (in this case the Black Turtle in
particular) and other species within the local
ecosystem in an attempt to discover the
direct and indirect impact of local fishing on
these populations.

A cualitative “Loop Analysis” model was

utilized, which consisted of determining the
predator-prey relationships within the ecosystem, employing a mathematical model that could predict the
systemic effects of rising or falling populations for any given species or activity (in this case fishing).

The model that was developed produced the following results regarding the population of Black Turtles in
Bahía de los Ángeles:

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-A rise in fishing diminishes the sea turtle population
-A rise in shark populations diminishes the population of sea turtles
-The rise in sea turtle populations itself diminishes shark populations and overall fishing activity

In conclusion, it is imperative to observe and understand the direct and indirect relationships that exist
between all the species within a given ecosystem. The behavior of one population can have important
consequences for the populations of sea turtles, therefore making it necessary to pay close attention to the
health of the whole ecosystem, in order to better understand the health of the target species.

Paradise in our own Back Yard: Valuing our Natural and Cultural Resources
Raquel Briseño, UNAM

The need for scientific biological information about any

given species goes hand in hand with the understanding of
these species that communities that interact with that species
must have. In the state of Sinaloa in particular, this assertion
is now more relevant than ever given the recent recognition
of the region as a national landmark. Not only is scientific
knowledge of the ecosystem necessary, it is essential to
value it and recognize it as a veritable paradise in our own
backyard.

By recognizing natural resources, each animal and plant

species, the soil, etc., one establishes an identification of
nature within various systems of knowledge. We incorporate it into our language, practical use,
experience, and this knowledge can also gain mystic or religious significance. The indigenous Seri
community is an example of this kind of knowledge regarding sea turtles in particular. Nature is the
foundation of all human activity. It is therefore essential to re-evaluate our appreciation of our resources
from a broad, multidisciplinary perspective, incorporating the points of view of all the members of society
including the private and public sectors, as well as local communities. One must strive for an integrative
perspective of human activities and their impact on the
environment.

Sinaloa’s project is participative and inclusive, and aims at

preserving the environment by developing the kind of integrated
knowledge mentioned above. The Cacaxtla mesa is the region’s
largest vegetated area, and has been under increasing pressure from
deforestation; the whole area’s biodiversity has been affected by
this destruction. The proposed project intends to involve the entire
local community in the preservation of this natural treasure.

Objectives:
This project means to encourage respect for, knowledge and appreciation of the historical, natural and
cultural heritage of Sinaloa and Mexico’s entire northwest, promoting conservation of the cultural,
historical and natural patrimony in an integrative vision of man’s relationship with the environment.

Strategy:
In 2004, work was done in Barras de Piaxtla, Chicayota, Pozole, Toyua, Santuario el Verde and Inu de la
Piedra. We attempted to integrate the program into the official government within a legal framework,
bringing together PROFEPA and SEMARNAT (government agencies), Banamex, HP and Fundación

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Azteca. The goal was to secure the political, logistic and economic resources necessary to adequately
study and understand the local population.

The project required building local capacities through scientific and legal training workshops; it was vital
to integrate scientific and professional knowledge with local wisdom from the community.

Furthermore, in order to have a realistic picture of the community and the project’s potential, a
demographic study of the community of Chicayota was carried out. Analysts identified the age of the
community, local customs and resource usage, demographic, economic and dietary data, as well as their
knowledge and use of their environment.

Results: Community Activities

Gradually, local communities began integrating themselves into the program and among themselves
through an effective process of exchange and learning.

Thanks to the participation of the General Tourism Coordinating

body of Sinaloa, Adopta una Obra, Ayuntamiento de San
Ignacio, CONANP and SEMARNAP, it was found that there is
in this region an important historical landmark that must be
better protected and appreciated. The region’s petroglyphs and
their cultural value helped to emphasize the value of this
community and this region to researchers and historians.

The local region has an important forest ecosystem, turtle

beaches, lagoons and more; however, the local community has been left behind economically. It’s not
surprising in this situation that these important natural and cultural resources are subject to poaching and
looting, pollution, lack of interest on behalf of the government, and other problems.

Along with the community projects, an architectural endeavor is also being planned to help protect and
preserve the cultural and natural richness in the community. Moreover, it will help integrate the
community into an important service provider within the department of tourism’s effort to encourage
alternative tourism. Local authorities are also interested in working with the community to use sea turtles
and petroglyphs as an eco-tourism attraction within this same initiative.

In conclusion, valuing and understanding our natural resources is not only an effective way of helping to
preserve them, it also generates a greater appreciation of the communities surrounding these resources
and offers educational, as well as economic opportunities.

Eco-Friendly Seafood Options to Protect Endangered Species

Jesse Marsh, Monterey Bay Aquarium

Over-fishing poses a grave threat to marine ecosystems the world over, not only because of over-fishing
of specific species, but also because of the large amount of boats in the water. By-catching of protected
species is also an ongoing problem, especially for sea turtles, and is one of the most common causes of
turtle mortality; all 7 species of sea turtles in the world are currently at risk of extinction. However, one
must also recognize the importance of fishing as an economic activity, as well as a way of life and
sustenance for millions of people, and many families here in Baja California.

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Objective:
Seafood Watch’s goal is to enable consumers to choose seafood that is healthier for marine ecosystems,
and for themselves as well. Each kind of product is studied in terms of its effects on human health,
ecological status, economic value, and associated by-catch.

Based on these studies, Seafood Watch puts together a list to help consumers and businesses make
informed decisions regarding the kind of seafood they purchase and sell. The list is divided into three
categories:

-Green (Best Choices) these products don’t

pose any serious risks to human or
environmental health;
-Yellow (Good Alternatives) these products are
somewhat risky, or are only problematic in
certain regions or for certain species;
-Red (Avoid) these represent endangered
species, species whose consumption involves
significant threats to human health, or involve
excessive by-catch of other endangered species.

For these reasons one should always ask, “where did this seafood come from?” and always select
products that have been certified and labeled by official protection organizations such as the Marine
Stewardship Council.

Local fishermen can also contribute to species conservation, working with

scientists to develop fishing techniques that reduce by-catching, or by choosing
not to fish endangered species. A prime example of these kinds of efforts takes
place here in Baja California, where work is constantly being done to reduce the
sea turtle by-catches by utilizing specially designed hooks, and teaching
fishermen how to free entangled or hooked turtles.

As a final message, Seafood Watch would like to remind us that the power is in our hands as both
consumers and as fishermen.

Health and Diseases of Sea Turtles in Baja California

Wallace J. Nichols, Pro Peninsula and Melania C. López, Grupo Tortuguero y CIBNOR

As highlighted in some of the other presentations, Baja California is an extremely important region for
marine turtles as feeding site, and as a nesting site. Unfortunately, population growth on the peninsula has
had very serious consequences for sea turtles in the region.

Pollution increases the presence of disease and threatens all species. However sea turtles are an
exceptional case, given the fact that they have one of the longest life-spans of all living things (some
turtles are estimated to live to be 150 years old). Given their longevity, sea turtles are bio-accumulators,
accumulating any toxins and contaminants that may be present in their environment throughout their long
lives. Consequently, sea turtles become a health flagship for their entire ecosystem.

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Since 2004, we have worked with community groups
within the Grupo Tortuguero, using their experience
and knowledge to monitor turtles. We have a data
from a broad area of sources, consisting of tissue
samples from live and dead turtles within which can be
found the various parasites, biotoxins and other
contaminants that these animals accumulate.

Our group has published numerous documents and

scientific articles regarding sea turtles and their
environment. They point emphasize that sea turtles in
the Baja California peninsula show high amounts of
cadmium, mercury and organochloride compounds.
Tissue samples also include parasites, bacteria and biotoxins. The result of these studies is that the
consumption of turtle meat and turtle eggs poses a serious threat to human health.

The symptoms of poisoning from turtle meat vary from cases of diarrhea, vomiting and indigestion to
extreme dehydration and salmonella poisoning. Cases of oseporosi have also been reported, and the
cadmium and mercury have been known to cause cancer of the kidney and birth defects and deformities.
Complications can even lead to death if contamination of the turtle meat is severe enough. These risks are
increased by the fact that turtle meat is only available on the black market where it is not subject to health
regulations or quality controls.

Objective:
Unfortunately, most of the information on sea turtle health is only published in scientific journals. The
turtle meat black market is no secret, but the problems associated with turtle consumption are not widely
known, in particular the risks for human health. For this reason it is imperative to spread information
through other means, and publicize the knowledge that consuming turtle meat and turtle eggs present a
grave threat to human health.

Strategy:
With this objective in mind, a public outreach campaign has been initiated
with the collaboration of CIBNOR, various hospitals throughout the
peninsula and the health organizations throughout the state, bringing together
medical practitioners and researchers in the region, and the members of
affected communities, with the future goal of bringing on board doctors from
outside the region as well. It is merely necessary to make this information
available to consumers so that they area aware of the consequences of turtle
consumption.

The campaign will target the general public, public health officials, and the
medical community to help them identify the problem and in the case of
doctors, to adequately diagnose turtle consumption related health
complications. Initially, the campaign will take place in Baja California Sur;
following its expected success, it will be expanded to Sonora, Sinaloa, Baja
California Norte and the United States.

We wish to avoid health risks, especially to children and pregnant women. To accomplish this is it is
essential to promote awareness of the close relationship between the environment, local flora and fauna,
and human health.

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The campaign itself will employ advertisements, news reports, posters, presentations, comic books and
scientific publications. All of the information will be based on scientific research, as well as the
experience of the advisory committee for the campaign.

Habitat Use of the Loggerhead Turtle in Baja California Sur, 1998-2005: High use areas in
the waters near the coast provide an opportunity for conservation
Hoyt Peckham, proCaguama/Propeninsula and University of California at Santa Cruz

Understanding the distribution and movements of marine vertebrates is critical to evaluating

anthropogenic mortality rates and designing effective conservation programs. Labeling of highly
migratory endangered species helps to identify high use areas (critical areas) where conservation can be
most effective.

Similar to most migratory species, preservation of the loggerhead turtle in the Pacific Ocean has been
severely limited by the lack of knowledge concerning its biology.

In order to gain a better understanding of the loggerhead (Caretta caretta) turtle’s behavior and
movments, satellite transmitters were placed on 29 juvenile loggerhead turtles in Baja California Sur
between 1998 and 2005.

Objective:
The central goal was to understand how these turtles utilize their habit, and through this knowledge create
strategies to avoid by-catches. In order to develop effective conservation strategies, a much more
complete understanding of sea turtle movements and of reasons for their stay in the Baja peninsula, are
needed.

Loggerhead turtles are born on the islands of Japan. They lay their eggs on five main beaches, although
the nests have been diminishing since the 1950s. During the last 12 years alone, turtle hatchings have
fallen by an estimated 50-86%, a mere 1000 females having laid their eggs last year. As hatchlings they
cross the Pacific, only some of them reaching Baja California Sur to feed and grow. However, it was not
known precisely why nor where in Baja California the turtles ended up most frequently, and there as a
lack of documentation concerning their migratory patterns on their return journey to Japan.

Results:
Based on the data obtained from the 29 tagged turtles, Baja California’s loggerhead turtles follow 3 main
migration patterns:

-21 out of the 29 turtles (70%) remained in coastal waters within a radius of about 62 miles from the
Bahía de Ulloa.
-5 out of the 29 turtles(20%) remained within coastal waters for long periods of time, but also ventured
into deeper waters up to 93 miles off the coast.
-3 out of the 29 turtles (9%) embarked on longer migrations towards Japan.

The project began with the monitoring of Adelita who left Baja California Sur, and arrived in Sendai,
Japan in one year. Since Adelita, many more turtles have been monitored in an attempt to understand their
movements better. Unlike Adelita, most turtles don’t even move outside a radius of 37 miles. Esperanza,
for example, in 2002, didn’t leave her radius in nearly 400 days, showing the importance of the region as
a feeding and growth site for loggerhead turtles.

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The loggerhead turtle takes nearly 35 years to reach sexual maturity in order to breed and reproduce. The
present study demonstrates that the turtles spend most of their time up until adulthood in Baja California,
eating and growing large enough to embark on their long journey back to Japan. Therefore, the peninsula
is an extremely important region to the very survival of these turtles, and should be a key target for
conservation efforts.

There are many different causes of turtle mortality throughout the Pacific; however the present study
focused mainly on by-catch given the numerous studies of dead sea turtles washed up on local beaches
which show that accidental capture is very common in the peninsula. Given the percentages of turtles that
remain in the peninsula for long periods of time, we were able to determine a “critical area” for these
turtles, which extends roughly from Bahía Magdalena to Punta Abreojos.

The map of critical zones postulated by this study

coincides with the area distribution map established
by data obtained from an aerial census of the very
same region. This lends legitimacy to the claim that
the Baja California peninsula is of extreme
importance to the loggerhead turtle, particularly for
the juveniles upon whom the future of sea turtle
populations depend.

Although it is clear that much more data is needed,

so far 31 turtles have been tagged, yielding 6,175
days worth of information, 15,762 positions,
producing a unique and vital database upon which
hypotheses and strategies regarding turtle
conservation can be built. We now know that loggerheads cross the pacific, but only here in the peninsula
do the gather in large numbers.

The communities of Santo Donmingo, Puerto Adolfo López Mateos, Puerto Magdalena and San Carlos
are some of the most important to this study in terms of how to put these scientific findings to immediate
use. All of them can offer eco-tourism opportunities, which must be accompanied by a very serious sense
of responsibility. The future of the loggerhead is in the hand of local fishermen and citizens; efforts to
preserve sea turtle populations in the Mexican Pacific Northwest coast must focus on reducing by catches
in critical areas of Baja California Sur. Facing this responsibility head on, the fishermen of Puerto Adolfo
López Mateos are using the results of this study to develop: 1) an Auto-Protected Zone to reduce by-
catches; and 2) an ecotourism project based on sea turtle observation and education.

-Note: During the question and answer session, Irene Kenan from Hawaii mentioned that in 2004, data
obtained from nesting beaches in Japan showed an increase in sea turtle nests for the first time in many
years, a sign that the conservation work in Baja California is having a positive impact.

Loggerhead Turtle Mortality in Baja California Sur, Mexico

David Maldonado, proCaguama/proPeninsula

Although small scale fisheries are common in the oceans throughout the world, their small scope,
relatively low yield, low economic profile and limited regulation have prevented a more thorough
understanding of their effects on their target species, as well as their by-catches.

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Objective:
The present study evaluated the impact of by-catching on the loggerhead turtle populations along the
Pacific coast of Baja California Sur. The central goal of the study was to determine the main causes of
loggerhead turtle mortality, as well as their overall annual mortality rates.

Methodology:
Information provided by coastal monitoring of beached sea turtles
between 2003 and 2005 was utilized along with the monitoring of local
fisheries using deep water nets (for Halibut) and deep water hooks (for
Sharks) in 2005, in order to estimate the amount of annual by-catching
of sea turtles in the Bahía de Ulloa region in Baja California Sur.

The focus area was the Bahía de Ulloa region, particularly near López
Mateos and Playa San Lázaro, working also near Santo Domingo.
Playa San Lázaro, on the western part of Bahía Magdalena, has a 27
mile stretch of beach which facilitates studying sea turtle mortality
rates. Victor de la Toba makes the trek across the beach and registers the number of dead turtles,
estimating their cause of death. In addition to these surveys, we made 76 visits to 146 nets, and 7 visits to
14 different hook lines.

Results:
-Between 2003 and 2005, close to 1000 turtles were found washed up on the beach. Mortality rates
increase significantly during the summer months (May-September), although the reasons for this increase
are not yet known.
-On the nets, 13 turtles were found entangled, 73% of which were found dead. Based on local fishing
activity rates, 4.52 turtles were captured for each 18 fathoms of netting. Extrapolating to the entire local
fishing community, these results indicate that as many as 33 turtles die entangled in nets each week,
totaling 330 each season.
-In the 14 hook lines 27 were found, 81% of them dead. Once again, this data can be extrapolated to 19.5
dead turtles per 1000 hooks, resulting in a total of 18.5 dead turtles a day, and 585 dead turtles each
season.

Hooks and nets both clearly contribute to turtle mortality rates. The minimum annual by-catch rate for
these small local fisheries is having a serious negative impact on the loggerhead sea turtle population in
the north Pacific, pushing them dangerously close to extinction, surpassing the mortality rates caused by
other sources (such as poaching and pollution). In fact, by-catches in local fisheries in Baja California Sur
alone could put the recuperation of loggerhead turtle populations at risk. Because the use of nets and hook
lines is common in small fishing communities in developing countries, the development of educational
programs for fishermen, and of viable preventative measures to by-catching should be a central priority
for international sea turtle conservation efforts.

These results emphasize the importance of participation on behalf of the fisherman community, precisely
because Baja California Sur is an epicenter of loggerhead population, and they will encounter these turtles
every day. Both scientific knowledge gained through research and empirical knowledge from the
fisherman must be utilized in order to foster healthy fishing that promotes responsible treatment of sea
turtles.

Proposals:
Based on this data, we are working with fishermen who use fishing nets in Puerto Adolfo López Mateos
to establish an Auto-Protected zone around the areas of critical sea turtle population, as well as promoting
eco-tourism surrounding sea turtle observation as a viable economic alternative for fishermen.

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An effective conservation program for sea turtles that includes protected areas will be well woth it to
other fishermen as well, simply because the cost of turtle by-catches runs quite high:

-It reduces target species capture by 90% per by-catch

-It wastes gas, time, damaged nets, as well as safety risks
-Protected turtles also become an important tourist attraction

In the end, the proposed solution will include the limitation or complete prohibition of deep water fishing
beyond 18 fathoms. The program will also designate areas where particular kinds of fishing will be
limited or prohibited, with the goal of attaining responsible fishing practices, and the appreciation and
observation of sea turtles becomes an asset to the community.

Evaluating the Distribution and Quantity of Loggerhead Turtles (Caretta caretta) along the
Pacific Coast of the Baja California Peninsula
Jeffrey Seminoff, National Marine Fisheries Service

It is common knowledge that the loggerhead turtle or ‘caguama’

frequents the coasts off the Baja California Peninsula.
Unfortunately, a lack of information on sea turtles in the region
has stood in the way of formulating precise population models
for these animals. Even though the peninsula has long been
recognized as a critically important habitat for the loggerheads, a
systematic survey of the coastal waters of the peninsula has
never been carried out. This information is essential to
formulating effective solutions to the negative impact of
industrial and small-scale fishing on the loggerhead turtles in the
fisheries of the Pacific.

Objective:
Our study had the objective of obtaining reliable scientific data concerning the abundance and migration
movements of the loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta) in the waters off the Baja California Peninsula, via
aerial surveys of the Pacific coast of the Baja California Peninsula between September 8th and October 1st
of 2005. The study had 3 central goals:

-Ascertain the abundance of loggerhead turtles in Baja California

-Study the structure of fishing activities along the Pacific coast
-Gather information on other organisms that make up this ecosystem

With these results, we hoped to find answers to the following questions:

-How many loggerhead turtles are in Baja California?

-How does their population density change throughout the year?
-How important is the loggerhead turtle to Japanese fishing stocks?

Strategy:
The survey involved a total of 20 days of surveys, tracing a distance of 2,485 miles, reaching as far as 143
miles off the coast, covering a total area of 27,961 square miles. In order to choose our flight path we
utilized previous data obtained from satellite tracking done by the NOAA and IATTC, so as to cover
waters where sea turtles had been confirmed to exist.

12
Using three observation windows, all turtle sightings were registered taking care to include the species,
angle from the plane, number of turtles sighted, approximate turtle size and the presence (or lack of) a
tail, in order to assign gender.

In order to avoid double counts of the turtles, the plane was piloted at speeds that exceeded the maximum
possible swimming speed for turtles, and the flight path was also traced so as to move further ahead than
the turtles on their migration. This assured that turtles were not counted twice in one day, or over a period
of time.

Results:
All counted, we observed more than 400 turtles, the most common
being the loggerhead turtle (77%). We also observed Olive Ridleys
(12%), black turtles (7$) and leatherback turtles (1%). About 4%
of the turtles sighted were unidentified.

Based on these results, utilizing a Kernel scatter model, the

epicenter of loggerhead turtle population in Baja California lies on
the waters off of Puerto Adolfo López Mateos, with other high
density areas distributed along the coast between Bahía Magdalena
and Bahía la Asunción.

Using a half normal key model and using only the data obtained
close to the airplane (therefore underestimating the data), we
concluded that there are between 9,576 to 10,923 loggerhead
turtles in Baja California at any given moment.

However, this estimation only covers the amount of turtles close to the surface; in order to determine with
any precision the amount of turtles that lie further beneath the ocean’s surface, it was necessary to
extrapolate utilizing diving data. The results of this calculation yielded that the total amount of
loggerheads in the waters of Baja California lies anywhere between 20,000 and 30,000 turtles, which only
emphasizes the extreme importance of this region to these organisms.

Conclusions:
The data provided by this survey will be crucial to various research and conservation projects. First of all,
it will allow conservationists to formulate an effective population recovery plan for the loggerhead turtle.
Moreover, when combined with Japanese nesting data, it will help to determine the status of the Caretta
caretta’s current stock.

Evidently, much more research and surveys are necessary, and binational collaboration will be essential to
collecting reliable and comprehensive data.

By-catch and Direct Exploitation – Mortality Rates and Causes for Sea Turtles in the Baja
California Peninsula
Agnese “Inés” Mancni

Five species of sea turtle inhabit the Baja California Peninsula:

-Black Turtle (Chelonia mydas agassizzi)

-Loggerhead Turtle (Caretta caretta)

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 -Olive Ridley (Lepidochelys olivacea)
-Hawk’s Bill (Eretmochelys imbricata)
-Leatherback Turtle (Dermochelys coriacea)

All of these species feed and grow in the waters off the peninsula during their juvenile stage. However,
the coasts of Baja California are also sites of heavy fishing activity, posing a threat to the survival of these
marine reptiles. In addition to their natural predators that already cause high mortality rates in sea turtle
populations, by-catching, illegal poaching and environmental degradation of coastal habitats all contribute
to endangering sea turtles.

Hisorical Background:
Sea turtle exploitation has a long history
in Mexico. In short, during the first half
of the twentieth century, a number of
factors –including subsistence fishing,
the cultural value of turtles, a rise in the
demand for sea turtle products on the
international market, and intensified
industrial fishing which began in the
1950s- brought about a collapse in sea
turtle populations between the 50s and
80s. The devastation of sea turtle stocks
eventually motivated the Mexican
government to put a complete ban on sea
turtle fishing in 1990.

However, Baja California is still a dangerous place for sea turtles; according to some studies, nearly
35,000 sea turtles die every year throughout the peninsula thanks to the threats mentioned above.

Giving these estimations even more weight, studies that took place in April of 200 and July of 2003
suggest that the great majority of all turtles throughout the peninsula are juveniles, which means they
have not yet reached reproductive maturity. If the number of juvenile sea turtles continues to drop,
population recovery becomes increasingly difficult.

Objective:
The present study will attempt to describe the distribution of sea turtle mortality during a span of 2 years,
identifying the primary cause of death and giving an estimated minimum mortality rate for each species.
Moreover, it will be necessary to identify the areas and times of year with the highest mortality rates in
order to develop effective conservation and population recovery efforts. Finally, we will attempt to
identify with greater precision the impact of by-catching and of illegal consumption on sea turtle
populations.

Methodology:
Studies will take place in 15 specific sites: Guerrero Negro, Punta Abreojos, Laguna San Ignacio, San
Juanico, Bahía Madgdalena, Punta Conejo, Bahía Todos Santos, Los Cabos, Cabo Pulmo, La Ventana, La
Paz, San Evaristo, Loreto, Mulegé and Santa Rosalía.

Mortality census will be carried out by searching for and counting turtle shells along the beaches, in trash
cans and in the towns. Each shell will be identified, photographed, measured and sampled for tissue and
blood.

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 In order to determine high risk areas, we will
also use Geographic Information Systems
(GIS) to generate mortality distribution maps
over a timeline, superimposing maps of
fishing activity and types of fishing, thus
calculating a risk area index for each species.

Finally, a series of surveys will be done with

local populations in order to estimate the
consumption of turtle meat and eggs, and
attitudes towards conservation at each study
site. The results of the surveys will be backed
up by informal interviews and conversations,
along with an demographic analysis of the
region that will indicate poverty and education
levels of the local population.

Expected Results:
Based on our data, we hope to be able to construct a time-space distribution map for each species,
classified by age. We will also estimate the total amount of small-scale fishing en each study site,
identifying high mortality zones and seasons, helping to develop more effective and efficient conservation
strategies. Finally, we will help to achieve a better understanding of the cultural and economic importance
of sea turtles to local communities

GOVERNMENT PROGRAMS

National Project for Conservation of Prioritized Species CONANP 2005-2006

Georgita Ruiz, CONANP

The national commission of natural protected areas is working diligently on sea turtle conservation
through a new project. Prioritized species are now being designated by this secretariat according to legal
criteria in order to optimize and streamline conservation and recuperation efforts.

The goal is to conserve these prioritized species in their natural environments throught he coordination of
various social and political sectors in order to promote direct and indirect conservation:

-Direct: Protection, Management, Re-population

-Indirect: Knowledge, Culture, Outreach

Plan of Action:
- Form national prioritized species committees
- Form species subcommittees
- Develop PREPS (Recuperation Strategies)
- Establish treat assessment and action priorities
- Develop plans of action (well programmed, with specific indicators, responsible actors and specific
strategies)

Technical experts, public sector, private sector and academia should all be represented and involved.
Furthermore, the civil sector and national media must participate, a development which has already begun
to take place in the case of the sea turtle conservation campaign.

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One of the tangible results of the current project is the Mexican
Turtle Center (CMT), which receives over 80,000 visitors every
year, and offers technical training workshops to students and
communities, as well as 20 different events during national
conservation week in Mexico. It is imperative to share all our
activities and work at the CMT in order to give turtle research
greater publicity. In addition to the center, there are CMT
publications, their webpage, newsletter, DVD, and a radio
program.

There is still much to be done, and we must develop new legislative and normative tools that can facilitate
the professionalization and institutionalization of marine turtle conservation in Mexico.

National Marine Turtle Program

Lidia Estrada, Dirección General de Vida Silvestre

In mid-2005, a new agreement was reached concerning the administration of the national marine turtle
program. It became apparent that newly discovered nesting beaches needed to be protected, and that they
would need to be administered and managed by a national-level organism specifically responsible for the
care of marine turtles.

Of course, institutional change does not come easy, and CONAMP’s responsibilities have not yet been
fully transferred to this new body. Nonetheless, the goal remains to:

-Promote and apply recovery programs for at-risk species

-Participate as permanent members in advisory committees regarding matters referred to in the
law.
-Include the federal agency into all state and local committees, allowing it to support and
contribute to local programs more effectively

These changes will lead to:

-Registration of all sea turtle camps

-Compilation of annual reports from the entire nation
-Delegations will continue to coordinate their programs to support specific groups
-Participation in international meetings

The new regulations imply that the work done by Grupo Tortuguero, for example, will now be officially
validated by SEMARNAT and CONAMP, and will be backed by federal laws.

The new legislation ensures regulation of the activities of approximately 130 sea turtle camps organized
by social groups. It also requires all research backed by CONAMP or done by their personnel to have a
special permit; however, it is essential that organizations and groups be able to acquire this permit rapidly.
We must not delay permits, and prevent people from doing this ever more necessary work. Finally, all
procedures can go through local delegation offices, and need not be centralized in Mexico City.

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 YOUTH ACTIVITIES

Loggerhead Turtle (Caretta caretta), the Pride of Adolfo López Mateos

Johath Laudino, PROCAGUAMA

The work that we do cannot be carried out without people and their participation. We aren’t only caring
for sea turtles, we’re looking after our whole environment, including the 5 species of sea turtle that live in
Baja California, all the marine mammals, a great variety of fisheries, mangroves and wetlands.

Objective:
Our central objective in the community was to create awareness of the plight of sea turtles, and motivate
the community to participate in protecting and preserving sea turtles.

Methodology:
All of our projects are carried out in coordination with local community
leaders. The surveys that were carried out in these communities revealed that
greater efforts should be made to reduce solid waste. Furthermore, it was
discovered that the sea turtle is generally viewed as an emblematic species
for the whole region, a view that offers an excellent opportunity to motivate
local populations to protect it.

In order to reach our objective of creating awareness and motivating local communities to participate in
turtle conservation, we utilized:

-Posters and publicity

-Festivals
-TV programs
-Radio programs
-Official Publication for interested persons
-“Traveling Turtles” that visit communities and share information

Among the most significant results of the project, 75% of people who were later surveyed had realized the
significance and importance of sea turtles, and the number of people who took action in some way for the
sea turtles rose by 50%. We hope to continue this project in Poza Grande and Santo Domingo.

It Takes a Village: Students as Catalysts in Sea Turtle Conservation

Julie Osborn, Ecology Project International

The goal of Ecology Project International (EPI) is to increase and inspire

education and science through participation in field research in a student
society.In order for real data gathering to take place, authentic scientific
study is essential, along with local participation and international
collaboration.

Methodology:
One of the ways in which we are attempting to strengthen the work
surrounding marine turtles is by bringing together scientists and students
in conservation projects. These kinds of projects have taken place in Montana, Ecuador and Baja
California Sur. Part of this conservation model involves knowing how to facilitate the interaction between

17
students and scientists.

The project recognizes the following principles:

-Conservation must take human influence into consideration

-Local populations affect the success of the project
-Knowledge informs conservation
-Experience is the most important contribution

Students bring scientists and their work closer to the community, and at the same time help them carry out
their research. In order for this interaction to function properly, it is essential to establish realistic goals
and practical methods.

Necessarily, the project should involve students who are locally connected to the ecosystem that they will
be studying. Before putting together groups, we work closely with both students and scientists in order to
formulate a work plan. During the course of their work, students will generate a hypothesis, choose a
methodology, gather and analyze their data, and present their findings, all under the supervision of expert
researchers. At the end of the year, all the students get together to share their experiences and their
knowledge.

Results:
-1900 students have participated over 6 years
-We have more information about Sea Turtles: 23% more turtles
were found in Pacuare compared to years when there were no
students involved
-A population of trained research assistants is being created,
increasing data reliability
-Surveys at the end of the projects has revealed a positive change of
attitude in the students, as well as an increased understanding of sea turtles and their environment
-Communities are now much more involved, thanks to the increasing connections between students,
professors, researchers and the general population

In conclusion, student involvement increases sea turtle conservation efforts and education regarding sea
turtles, and above all provides opportunities for community participation. Consequently, communities
develop greater scientific understanding of environmental issues, and appropriate these problems as their
own, becoming better equipped and motivated to find solutions.

Native Oceans Council 2006

Wallace J Nichols, Ocean Revolution

The ocean covers 70% of the planet, contains 80% of the earth’s biodiversity, and hold 90% of all habitats
on the entire earth. We depend on the ocean to live, every living being does. The Native Oceans Council
is an international program focused on young people, dedicated to bring together youth leaders of the
world. The central goal is to bring all the passion of young people who are interested in changing the
world, and apply it to protecting the ocean. It is an extension of the model utilized by the Grupo
Tortuguero.

This year we will have another meeting between numerous indigenous communities (Shinackak, Navojoa,
Seri, from Indonesia, and more), connecting them with the same objective as Ocean Revolution. It is
important that they see the connections that exist between the three, and how they can express themselves

18
through art and science in order to come together, share their experience and their knowledge, in order to
increase their power to save the planet. Ocean Revolution is more than an NGO; it is a way of thinking.
We don’t just need minor adjustments, we need a revolution.

Meeting of the Youth of the Californias for the Conservation of Sea Turtles
Graciela Tiburcio, Programa para Protección de la Tortuga Marina del H. IX Ayuntamiento de
los Cabos, Baja California Sur
Jessica Torres, JABA: Jóvenes Ambientalistas de la Bahía de los Ángeles

Summary of the puppet theatrical play ‘Tortugópolis:’

Idea – A villain corrupts local fishermen into poaching and selling sea turtle eggs and meat, even though
they know that what they’re doing is wrong; they are selling out to the “Matavaras.”

The turtles have a hero who will protect them, but Matavaras manages to convince the fisherman in the
story that his power is great, and that he shouldn’t worry. He tells him that al he needs to worry about is
to bring him the eggs and bring him the meat. The fisherman however is uncomfortable with the idea.

“Rucoman” is there to save the turtles, and his powers are awareness, education and punishing those who
are guilty.

The fisherman’s son tells his father that he learned in school that sea turtles are in danger of extinction,
and that trading in turtle meat is illegal. The fisherman claims to know nothing of such matters, only that
each day he sees less turtles, and that Matavaras has told him it’s not illegal if the turtles are captured
accidentally. He is pressured into bringing in more and more turtles.

But Rucoman discovers the fisherman and accuses him of poaching and selling turtle meat and eggs. The
fisherman repents and says he will no longer capture the turtles, that he sees it is a crime and that he will
pay the fine.

Rucoman tells him he must do 3 things:

Spread the word among fishermen about the consequences of poaching

Help to care for all sea turtles
Help to capture that sneaky old Matavaras

The fisherman, having had a change of heart, confronts Matavaras and lets him know that the people no
longer agree with sea turtle poaching, and that they know that sea turtles need to be protected for the good
of the environment, and as a potential attractor for eco-
tourism, bringing money into the community and protecting
the turtles at the same time.

Objective:
The goal of the meeting is to teach environmental education,
utilizing a well thought out program that informs an
motivates young people in the Baja California peninsula, so
that they participate in sea turtle conservation.

Activities include a sea turtle biology workshop, puppet

theatre, and a sustainability and natural resource workshop.

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This year, participants helped organize and carry out spontaneous beach cleanups with elementary and
junior high school students, as well as children from the neighborhood. In the past they have also held
cleanup contests, a mural on a beachfront wall, sea turtle conservation drawings and messages, and
activities done with Aquatic Adventures. Another one of the tangible results is the play ‘Tortugópolis’
itself, presented on four different occasions.

Dialogues with local children and the community in general provide information and create awareness
about sea turtle conservation. Many factors have brought about a lack of interest and understanding
towards sea turtle conservation in these communities in the past, such as a lack of education, specific
policies, and others. This project is part of a broad effort to change this pattern.

The Acuario de Mazatlan from the state of Sinaloa, has planned similar youth meetings for the
environment for some time. For the span of one week, volunteers from all over Mexico, as well as other
parts of the world, come together to teach and learn from local youth.

Results from the last Meetings:

-31 participants between the ages of 4 and 15 from many different communities in Baja California Sur,
learning from conferences, workshops, presentations, night-time monitoring of nest sites, recreational
activities and murals.

In conclusion, young people are the future of our world; however, we must not wait until tomorrow for
them to take action. We must engage and integrate them starting today so that they can also engage and
involve their own communities.

Proposals on Behalf of the Youth Participants:

Loreto: Tell my friends that we were with the Grupo Tortuguero

El Pescadero: Gather turtle eggs and take them to the greenhouses. More vigilance on the beaches, more
trash cans, have the authorities support environmental groups, have more people involved with the grupos
tortugueros, have people pick up their trash, have people respect signs and warnings regarding turtles,
don’t take dogs to the beach, be careful when fishing, publish information in the newspaper, not throw
trash on the beach to avoid pollution.

Bahía de los Ángeles: Make posters that say not to kill turtles, give talks at schools and communities,
have more vigilance on behalf of authorized community groups, have an environmental TV show,
continue the environmental education program, have weekly or monthly beach cleanups, have a national
government agency dedicated to protecting turtles, have a comic book with good information in it.

Puerto Adolfo López Mateos: Put up posters and get people together to explain why you shouldn’t
consume or exploit turtles, put greenhouses around the nests, protect nesting sites, limit fishing in certain
areas.

Punta Abreojos: Avoid turtle consumption, tell parents and friends to take care of the turtles, keep the
beaches clean, ask for support from interested institutions, give presentations and workshops to children
concerning taking care of turtles, give conferences to parents and community members to create
awareness, make posters and murals and make them visible, hold artistic festivals related to turtle
protection.

Cabo Pulmo: Give talks at local schools, encourage young people to take care of turtles, put up signs and
have cleanup campaigns, organize school camping trips to watch the rivers.

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Laguna San Ignacio: Create sustainable development, don’t poach eggs, have consequences for whoever
kills turtles, don’t leave nets unattended in the water, watch turtle entry points, accuse people who engage
in turtle traffic, ask for help, participate in meetings, create awareness, give talks to persons to spread the
word about the importance of turtles, make our activities known in our schools.

Los Cabos: Media campaign creating awareness and sensitivity to the issue, become members of the sea
turtles nest protection camp Don Manuel Orantes, and support other groups, make flyers, newsletters and
bulletins, appear in the media, go to tourist sites and share our flyers and signs.

PRESENTATIONS BY PARTICIPATING COMMUNITIES

General Summary:
The situation in general for sea turtles shows some improvement. Many
of the communities have shown a fall in by-catch rates, as well as a
significant rise in community participation and citizen’s awareness. The
amount of turtles being captured for monitoring has increased in some
sites, and thousands of turtle hatchings have been carried out, along with
the relocation and protection of turtle nests.

Unfortunately, by-catching is still a serious problem, added to nest

poaching and illegal fishing. Along with nests being run over by vehicles and horses, natural disasters and
climate change, there is still much work to be done. The leatherback turtle in particular still has
consistently low populations in areas where there was previously an abundance of this species.

Monitoring and Research: Nests, Hatchings and Captures:

In general, monitoring in the different communities is done using a fairly standard methodology. All
monitoring of live turtles followed the same general steps, with some variation: a standard turtle catching
net is laid for a period of 24 hours, and is checked every 30-90 minutes. All the sites took down the
weight of the turtle, and the length and width of the turtle shell, and many sites also took blood and skin
samples in order to develop a working database for the sea turtles of Baja California.

In Acuario de Veracruz, Hawksbill turtles were captured in a vastly greater

proportion than any other between 1992 and 2005; 234 hawksbill were captured,
82 Olive Ridley’s, 17 Kemp’s Ridley’s, and both Loggerheads and Leatherbacks
in last place with only 3 captures each. In terms of nests, between 1999 and 2005,
104 nests were found, totaling 11,597 eggs and 7,698 hatchlings.

The Comcaac nation monitoring site had somewhat less positive results, insofar
as they haven’t seen any leatherback turtles in many years. All of their captures
were of chelonias mydas (Green Sea Turtle), the majority of which were
juveniles. 2 nests were found, and a few hatchings were carried out.

At Agua Verde, community members only found a single Hawksbill turtle weighing 13.22 lbs; however,
their low capture rate has been attributed to nets that lie too low, as well as a far too narrow monitoring
area.

At El Pardito, 24 turtles were captured, varying between 45 and 76 cm. Because not a single capture took
place for 5 months after the initial 24, it can be assumed that this region is a migration zone for the
turtles. An estimation of the reasons for turtle presence in a given area is essential to developing effective
conservation strategies.

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At Laguna Ojo de Liebre, 149 turtles were captured, the majority of which were black
turtles (147), the other two being loggerheads. In 2005, the largest turtles were
captured, weighing in at an average of 84.9 pounds, and measuring 2.04 ft in length and
1.61 ft in width. Just as in Comcaac nation territory, the great majority of captures were
juveniles and females. Moreover, their data since August of 2001 indicate that the
number of turtles in the region has risen slightly each year through 2005.

At Laguna San Ignacio, only 43 turtles were captured and

tagged between 2004 and 2005, weighing an average of 92.81
lbs. A group of students from Boston participated during the monitoring and
were given a talk about sea turtles and general conservation. August of 2005 also
saw the participation of a group of African American students.

In Puerto Adolfo López Mateos the monitoring results were somewhat more troubling. 69 black turtles,
57 Olive Ridley turtles and 982 loggerhead turtles were found dead along the San Lázaro beach. August
2005 saw one of the highest ever mortality rates, with 164 dead turtles washed ashore.

At many of the sites in San Carlos participants were able to capture all 5 of the
sea turtle species that live on the peninsula, the most common being the black
turtle. There were a total of 37 captures, with a total of 403 man hours being
invested in the monitoring. Participants concluded that at this site, the greatest
cause of turtle mortality is human consumption during important celebrations,
with by-catching and pollution in second place.

At Punta Abreojos, 84 turtles were captured in 2005, 20 of them having been captured in a single day –
June 11th.

One of the most serious problems in this region is shrimp

boats which haven’t been regulated strictly enough to ensure
that they aren’t poaching turtles. A very important focus is
also to educate fishermen and children about how to free
turtles from nets, and the encouragement of responsible
fishing.

Turtle meat consumption in the local community has fallen

significantly in recent years, and it is our goal to completely
eliminate turtle meat consumption.

Studies carried out in Playa San Valentín Petatlán in Guerrero led to the conclusion that the sea turtle
exploitation in the region has fallen by 60% in 2005, compared to 2003.

Additionally, sea turtle captures for monitoring purposes rose by 10% since 2003, and 1,353 nests
were found which produced 54,880 hatchlings. However, a number of problems still plague sea turtle
recovery, such as natural disasters and the high tides that destroyed a number
of nests in September, and the high temperatures that destroy nests between
July and November, when 50% of the hatchlings were lost.

Cabo Pulmo worked mainly with nests, having found 64 of them, 48 of

which were actively protected, 24 of which had to be relocated, and 10 of
which were destroyed, 6 of them taken by high tides. Thanks to the local

22
community’s involvement, 4,590 hatchlings were born during the study, and the project “Una Entre Mil”
was implemented, helping children in the surrounding community learn about sea turtles' life cycles, and
which far surpassed expectations.

Another successful hatching program took place in Colola, an indigenous community in Coire Opio,
Michoacan. From June 5th to December 31st, 2,509 black turtle nests, 789 Olive Ridley turtle nests, and 2
leatherback turtle nests were protected. The campaign yielded 235,202 hatchlings total, a significant
increase form 2003-2004 when only 54,813 turtles hatched, only ¼ of the hatchlings from this year. This
represents not only a significant increase in terms of the efforts and dedication of local citizens and
volunteers; it is a sign of hope that turtle population protection programs are producing positive results.

At the communities of Puerto Arista and Barra Zapulco, Chiapas, a record

2,176 nests in 2005, including 201,000 eggs which gave off 181,472
hatchlings. This sea turtle camp has been monitoring turtles since 1990,
having protected a grand total of 20,760 nests.

At San Cristóbal and Agua Blanca, the Olive Ridely program at El Suspiro
and Rancho Punto San Cristobal’s AUPMATOMA (Asociación Sudcaliforniana de Protección al Medio
Ambiente y la Tortuga Marina [South California Environmental and Sea Turtle Protection Association])
protects 13.67 miles of beach, studying turtles and protecting nests. In 2005 they found 49 nests with
evidence of poaching, 3 destroyed nests, having protected 326 nests - 34,887 protected eggs and 25,075
hatchlings. They captured 37 turtles, and found 9 dead turtles.

Encouraging results were obtained at San Jose del Cabo, having reported 93 nests
and having protected 73 of them (a total of 9,049 eggs). They didn’t find a single
poached or robbed nest, and only one nest attacked by predators. Unfortunately,
13 nests were washed away by the tides. During their 3 years of activity, the
people at San Jose del Cabo have managed to protect 88% of the nests they’ve
found, seeing a total of 18,113 hatchlings make it to the ocean.

In the lagoon complexes of Chacahua Pastoría and Superior and Inferior in the State of Oaxaca, local
citizens are initiation a research program to understand the presence of turtles in these locations. Aside
from the regular measurements, they will to stomach content analyses for the turtles they find in order to
determine why turtles frequent the region (to feed, to mate, to nest, etc). Monitoring hasn’t yet begun, but
the project shows great potential to contributing to marine turtle information databases.

This year was also the starting year for a pilot project sea turtle protection and
conservation at the beaches of the indigenous community Paso de Noria in the
municipality of Aquila, Michoacan. During their work, they gathered 1,738 eggs
(217 black turtle and 1,515 Olive Ridley). They also captured 77 live turtles,
taking down their size and weight.

A unique study was carried out in Bahía de Los Angeles, where students
researched the reactions of black turtles and Olive Ridley turtles to different
color lights. In the final results, the great majority of turtles reacted and were
attracted to green and blue lights, indicating that these colors should be avoided
when making fishing nets and hooks, so as to diminish sea turtle by-catch.

23
Finally, Grupo Tortuguero itself monitored many sights throughout the peninsula, registering and
comparing the data they found at the four different sites of Laguna Ojo de Liebre, Punta Abreojos,
Laguna San Ignacio, and Bahía Magdalena.

They captured 149 turtles at Ojo de Liebre, 501 in Abreojos, 187 at

Laguna San Ignacio, and 132 at Bahía Magdalena, totaling 969 turtles.
All the sites produced similar results in terms of the sizes of the turtles.
The conclusions drawn from this report indicated that Baja California is
an extremely important site to sea turtle growth and development,
particularly when one notes that the
growth rates of turtles in Punta Abreojos
and Laguna San Ignacio are among the highest in the whole world. The
importance of these findings is even greater when taking into
consideration the fact that sea turtles tend to be very loyal to their
feeding grounds, sometimes staying in the same region for up to 20
years.

In sum, many of the monitoring and nest protection sites (such as Puerto Arista, Colola and San Valentín
Petatlán) have registered important increases in the amount of turtles being sighted and nests being
protected. It is of course difficult to determine whether or not this rise has been the result of increased
efforts on behalf of monitoring communities, or whether it is actually a sign of significant sea turtle
recovery rates. In either case, it signals significant steps forward regarding the sea turtle conservation and
protection movement.

Furthermore, results like those obtained at Laguna Ojo de Liebre, where 2005 saw the largest (and
therefore probably oldest) turtles in the past several years indicates that many turtles are living longer,
which increases the chances that they will mate and reproduce.

In addition, progress is also being made regarding the participation of many of the communities in sea
turtle conservation. Not only has participation in existing projects and camps increased, many new
communities have been added to the list of groups doing monitoring and protection work. Many
communities have also reported significant drops in sea turtle consumption and nest poaching, such as
San Valentín Petatlán in the Mexican state of Guerrero.

However, there are also many negative indicators which deserve the utmost attention as well. The
Case of Puerto Adolfo López Mateos comes to mind, where 164 turtles were found dead on the beach
in the month of August of 2005 alone. The cause of this spike in turtle mortality is not yet known, and
more research is necessary in order to determine why so many died in one month, and how to prevent
and reduce these deaths.

In closing, the studies carried out by the Grupo Tortuguero at various points along the peninsula have
also brought about important progress in terms of sea turtle conservation, especially insofar as
scientists now have a better understanding of their movements. The
comprehensiveness of their collective work points to the advances
of the efforts being made by communities in the region.

Important Community Developments and Turtle Camp Programs:

One of the most significant community/educational programs has been
developed by proCaguama. After completing a thorough and complex
analysis of the many environmental issues facing the Baja California
peninsula, they carried out a campaign to increase the involvement of

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local communities in preserving the region’s natural resources. Their strategies included everything from
theatre presentations and costumes, to beach clean-up campaigns and community surveys. The campaign
was able to raise community participation in conservation activities by 90% over all. Moreover, they were
able to convince authorities to convert the annual turtle festival into an official traditional celebration of
the state of Baja California Sur, along with starting up television and radio programs for the group.

The Comcaac nation of the indigenous Seri people have also demonstrated important steps forward in
terms of creating greater participation in sea turtle preservation on behalf of their community. Although
the Seri have traditionally consumed leatherback turtles, they have always maintained a respectful and
spiritual relationship with these animals, seeing them as the guardians of the Seri people. Many young
people in Seri communities have re-encountered this tradition, focusing on the notion that it is now the
Seri’s turn to repay their debt to the turtles, and become their guardians in their time of need. It is an
important example of how local traditions can shift and be reinterpreted to encourage the protection of sea
turtles.

The indigenous community of Colola in Michoacan also developed a project that would utilize
ecotourism as a tool to protect sea turtles and allow the local community to utilize their local resources in
a sustainable manner. Their main goals are not only to protect sea turtles (black sea turtles in particular),
but also to establish an ecotourism and advocacy program that will allow the community to make a living
off of their unique resources and improve their quality of life. They hope to rescue and revitalize local
indigenous traditions and live in autonomy and self-determination.

In San José del Cabo, 18 different hotel companies and 100 other
participants have been included into local efforts at sea turtle
conservation at their nesting sites. They’ve trained 470 people
during their 3 years of operation, and although participation
dropped in 2005 as compared to 2004, they have nonetheless
managed to protect 88% of the nests that have been found in the
area. Many of the problems they face are ‘eco tourism’ companies
that ignore the need to respect the beach (without riding horses or
four-wheelers) in order to avoid running over nests, as well as
traditional tourism developments along nesting beaches. It points
to the need to create awareness in the hotel industry, local community and tourist community in order to
reduce tourism’s negative impact on sea turtle habitats.

Another interesting example was the community awareness and education project carried out in the Key
islands of Indonesia, where a campaign for the protection of leatherback turtles took place. Similarly to
the Seri people in Mexico, these communities lead a simple lives centered on locally available natural
resources. They also have a longstanding cultural and economic relationship with the leatherback turtle,
having hunted the leatherbacks for over 8 generations. This species of turtle comes to the islands to feed
on jellyfish, and local people see them as a gift from the gods.

The campaign tried to take into consideration local perspectives, and to find local values that
coincided with the protection of sea turtles. The communities themselves are the main participant, and
they are the ones who will ultimately be doing the protection. Through meetings and informal
discussions, as well as formal gatherings with community leaders, a regulation document based on
local principles was drafted.

The project was able to achieve local acceptance of the program, as well as a deeper understanding of
sea turtles on behalf of the local population. Furthermore, local conservation initiatives have begun to
develop, including a local committee in charge of formulating plans of action and of doing trainings

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 in local towns about the new legislation surrounding sea turtles. Finally, an informative cultural
exchange between Indonesia and Baja California has been established; one former turtle fisherman
has become increasingly interested in looking at the relationship between the leatherback turtle and
the Seri people of Sonora. It is a success story, without a doubt. The number of turtles in the region is
rising, and more people become involved every day.

In summary, community projects dedicated to spreading awareness and involving local citizens in marine
turtle conservation have been, for the most part, successful. In many communities, even those where turtle
consumption is a part of traditional culture, the urgency of protecting these animals has become evident. It
demonstrates the importance of being open with local communities, and respecting their point of view
regarding issues that directly impact their culture and their way of life. Moreover, it shows the importance
of supporting these projects and making sure that they can keep doing the outreach and education work,
without which scientific research lacks the power and weight to produce tangible results.

Another important development at many of the communities is the establishment of ‘turtle camps’
dedicated to educating kids about sea turtles and their protection. In Loreto Bay, enormous efforts have
been made in order to preserve a natural park of 5 islands that lie off the coast, as well as to create
awareness among local citizens about the importance of sea turtles, focusing on a campaign of turtle non-
consumption, conservationist culture, as well as the inspection of nesting sites and of local fishing
activities.

The Don Manuel Orantes camp stands out, which since 2001 has protected 1,729
Olive Ridely nests, freeing 125,996 hatchlings, and 145 leatherback turtle nests
for a total of 3,924 hatchlings. All of this thanks to the enthusiastic participation
of 2,710 people who helped carry out nesting site studies, turtle hatchings,
training workshops, and other educational activities focused on promoting the
appreciation of sea turtles.

At the Mazatlan Aquarium in Santuario el Verde in the Mexican state of Sinaloa,

another important education and outreach effort surrounding sea turtles has taken
place. The aquarium has been around for 30 years, and has developed an
educational environmental program that recognizes that environmental education
must go beyond mere information. It focuses not only on a scientific understanding
of environmental problems, but also an appreciation of nature for its own sake.
Great emphasis is also given to using local and regional content and strategies when
facing environmental problems, using interactive activities to promote cooperation
and group decision-making in order to assure an integrated and coherent learning
process. The program has held 29 meetings, and has involved 2900 participants; in
addition, they have managed to protect 1,455 nests, 137,778 eggs and 94,000
hatchlings.

Mulegé also has its own nascent educational turtle camp program which takes
participants on surveys of the bay, beach cleanups, and other activities to promote
the appreciation of sea turtles and the overall environment.

A campaign that included the “turtle festival” in order to

involve the community was held in El Pescadero, along with a nesting site
identification program which helped scientists identify more than 100 nests.
The program was able to encourage a significant reduction in turtle meat
consumption in the local community, but even more awareness and education is
necessary, as well as greater support on the part of local authorities.

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 At Punto Arista and Barra Zapulco, aside from the protection of nests
and hatchlings, another camp program has been established where
festivals, workshops, presentations and other activities will be carried
out in order to protect sea turtles and create awareness in the
community. The camp has even instituted a temporary work program
(PET) in order rehabilitate and maintain the program’s logistical center.
It is a prime example of conservation work which also promotes local
and sustainable community development.

At San Cristobal and Agua Blanca, ASUPMATOMA has developed an

environmental education program that has expanded to 4 municipalities in the
2005-2005 school year. Schools in Cabo San Lucas, San José del Cabo, La Paz
and San Carlos participated, totaling 18 schools and 936 students.

Finally in Paso de Noria Michoacán a new program –authorized by the

local indigenous authority– was inaugurated. Activities took place on a
beach 1,200 meters long and included educational workshops, beach
cleanups, nature hikes, sea turtle monitoring and bird and bat watching.
The local community was also involved in the project, creating
awareness about conservation in general, and about sea turtle
protection in particular.

IEMANYA:
It’s important to recognize that sea turtles aren’t the only organisms on the Baja California peninsula that
require our respect and our protection. Ecosystems consist of complex interactions between different
organisms, and when any of them are in harms way, other parts of the ecosystem aren’t usually far
behind.

IEMANYA emphasized the importance of some of the other important members of the Baja
California coastal ecosystems, such as manta rays and sharks. They discussed the importance of
getting communities involved, focusing on education and learning, aside from field experience.

Their monitoring determined that Baja California is home to 9 different species of shark (the most
significant being the angel shark), as well as 14 species of ray (the most important being the guitar
ray).

IEMANYA members indicated the importance of providing fishermen with viable economic
alternatives to the profits they can earn by illegally fishing these animals. They are currently
developing an opportunities analysis system that can help pinpoint the needs and opportunities within
any given community, and have suggested a small business incubator program in order to provide the
economic support necessary to diminish the incentive to hunt sharks and rays.

The 2007 Grupo Tortuguero meeting will be held again in Loreto on 26-28th of January. Big
plans are already being made for the 10th anniversary meeting in 2008. Please visit
www.grupotortuguero.org for more information. Contact us for interviews with Grupo
Tortuguero staff, quotes and photography at j@propeninsula.org or kama@propeninsula.org.

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SPONSORS AND VOLUNTEERS

This year’s meeting would not have been possible without the support of our sponsors and the tireless
efforts of our volunteers- we thank you!

Alan Harper
Animal Alliance
Baja Books and Maps
BajaPhotos.com
Barbara Andrews
Bertha Montaño
California Academy of Sciences
Caren Barcelo
Cecilia Fisher
Closed System
Conservation International
David Maldonado Diaz
Defenders of Wildlife
Earth Friends Wildlife Foundation
Eglé Flores
Erika Castañón Moreno
Frances Velay
Heather Glass
Hector Morales
Heidi Giertsen
Hermosa Beach Sister City Association
International Community Foundation
Jared Jacobsen
John and Gayle Dean
Journey Mexico
Loreto Bay Company
Loreto Bay Foundation
Maryjoy Harris
Melissa George
National Fish and Wildlife Foundation
Natural Resources Defense Council
Peter Marquez
Phil Rockey
PROBEA
Rachel Tuck
Roger Roth
Sabrina Lear
Tony and Linda Kinninger
Underwater Images
Western Pacific Regional Fisheries Management Council
Wildcoast
Wildlife Trust
www.seaturtle.org

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