Diminishing Baby Hawksbill Turtles Get a Lift

Zamboanguita Bantay Dagat has released 18 baby hawksbill turtles today , May 25, 2010 at the Marine Protected Area managed  by Dive Hub in Siit, Siaton. It is deemed an ideal area for them to swim out safely. Though Antonio “Tony” Yocor_s team is resolved to vigilantly watch the turtle eggs from poachers, their eventual survival in open water has still to be managed. In recent months, it has been observed that the baby turtles who successfully survive poaching get entangled in gill nets (pokot), which are generally practiced by fishermen  in areas close to where mother turtles lay their eggs.

As the newly hatched turtles appeared weak, the idea of waiting until they gain strength to venture unprotected in the wild was considered. Based on past experiences, these baby turtles that were given protection as eggs and later released were soon discovered on the shores, dead. Dr. Angel Alcala was consulted, and he advised that the Phil. Law prohibits this, and advised the team to carefully release the turtles in a safe shore area as soon as possible. The Bantay Dagat who have taken the pains of protecting these endangered species suspect that the water close to Siit Bay is unsuitable for juvenile marine life due to the overloading of carbon-based nitrogen  and phosphorous compounds from the uneaten feeds from the bangus fish cages in Siit Bay. The uncontrolled presence of these toxins degrades the water quality by reducing oxygen levels. The pollution is believed to be spreading out to Lutoban and other coastal barangays close to the said bay.

These baby turtles were delivered to the municipal Bantay Dagat by Alfredo `Titing`  dela Pena  of Punta Beach, Poblacion, and fisherman Mesael Elnar, which, according to them, hatched last Tuesday at dawn. They promptly took the baby turtles in a basin with water from the sea, hoping that they can be safely given proper care. Hawksbill turtle species is a solitary nester that prefers isolated beaches, and there are very few nesting sites left for them. A long term plan to reserve a  turtle sanctuary in an isolated area free from mariculture side effects, squatters,  and domestic animals has to be urgently addressed.

 Zamboanguita Chief of Police Teodorico Picardal, one of the strongest assets of the marine conservation program of the municipality, said that they seriously put effort in raising awareness for the community to help save the marine environment and actively participate in its management through volunteerism. “Increasing awareness for marine ecosystem protection is equipping  the residents to support our marine conservation programs, “ Picardal said.  “Many people still have to understand that the oceanic system provides most of the oxygen we breathe, and these bodies of water drive weather patterns and affect climate,”  he adds.  

This shift in attitude is very recent, though.  Seagrasses, which used to be abundant in nearshore areas, have been harvested close to depletion. This used to be the nursery grounds for juvenile fishes, crustaceans, and other invertebrates.  Due to current protection, the coral cover in the area of Lutoban is now recovering, but  the reef now have a more difficult time growing because of climate change and ocean acidification. Tony Yocor and his  impressive team of volunteer sea wardens hope that with the establishment  of Marine Protected Areas in their coastal barangays, fisheries management problems will decrease and prevent the collapse of  their municipal fishery. And perhaps, these turtles will come back alive in 30 to 40 years, and lay eggs to balance the life of our children´s generation.

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