Barangay Calls for Help in Saving Turtle Nests

Residents and fisherfolks in Barangay Candiis in Magsaysay town in Misamis Oriental are pushing for more support from the government and non-government organizations for the protection of the barangay’s nesting site of the critically-endangered hawksbill turtle.

According to barangay records, almost every month they witness several large marine turtles make it to shore to lay eggs.

Last September, the volunteers identified another nesting site and fenced the area to protect the eggs from predators and warn off beachgoers not to trample on the nesting area.

 “Several of our fishermen would report to us sightings of the turtles near the shoreline and then our fisherfolks will observe them lay their eggs and identify those nesting site for us to fence and put extra protection. Unfortunately, sometimes we will get reports of dead turtle along the coastline and even on nearby barangays and towns,” said Venerando Cabresos, barangay chairman of Candiis, Magsaysay town.
Cabresos recalls that since his childhood their barangay has been the spot where large hawksbill turtles lay their eggs.

“This barangay has been identified as an area where the turtles have been laying their eggs, and the barangay has a huge three-kilometer shoreline that should be kept safe from those who have other intentions for the turtles,” said Cabresos.

Close up view of the Hawksbill turtle.  Photo Credit:  Wikipedia.

Rolando Pagara, in-charge of the area’s Pawikan Conservation, said the effort in protecting the nesting site started back in 1999.

“Since 1999, so much had been done for the protection and preservation of the nesting sites here in Magsaysay. Unfortunately, most of our volunteers also need additional support for their livelihood for them to also sustain their families. Monitoring these areas requires a huge amount of time and effort, this takes away valuable quality time for most of our volunteers who are also fishermen,” said Pagara.

Pagara explained the need for protecting the marine turtles that lay their eggs in the area.
“Our town, Magsaysay is a very unique case since from study most hawksbill turtle lay egg on white sand beaches, here you see brown sand yet they still come back year after year to lay their eggs. As far as I know, this town has the most numerous record of hawksbill turtle nesting in the Philippines. And the amazing part, is that we also have in several occasion other marine turtles such as the Olive Ridley and Green turtle nesting along our coastline,” he said.

Pagara added that even though most of the fishermen know that it is illegal to hunt and catch the turtles he gets reports of dead turtles washed out in the shoreline without Carapace or the turtles shell; a sought commodity in the black market.

“Hawksbill shells are the primary source of tortoiseshell material used for decorative and medicinal purposes. The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species outlaws the capture and trade of hawksbill sea turtles and products derived from them,” Pagara said.

Republic Act No. 9147 or the Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act aims to protect all wildlife, including the marine turtles. Hunting, killing, gathering, their eggs, destroying their nests, selling, transporting and mere possession of any part or derivatives is punishable with a fine of P100,000 to P1,000,000 and/or imprisonment of 16 to 12 years. (Original Post, Villagers Call for Renewed Support on Turtle Nesting by Erwin M. Mascarinas, SunStar Cagayan de Oro, Oct. 3, 2014)