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| BACK INTO THE SEA. Sea turtles find their way home after their accidental capture by a fishing gear on Feb. 25, 2021. The female Olive Ridley turtles weighed approximately eight to 10.5 kilos each. (Photo courtesy of Raymond Sesuca) |
By Leilanie G. Adriano (Staff Reporter)
Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte—Three more female green sea turtles, weighing approximately eight to 10.5 kilos each, were found and rescued at Ayoyo Cove along Brgy. Caparispisan, this town on Feb. 25, 2021.
The village hosts an 81-megawatt wind farm covering a 625-hectare forest reserve.
At around 6:30 am, local fishermen said their fishing gear accidentally captured the reptiles, prompting them to call the attention of barangay officials and volunteers of the Pagudpud Pawikan Conservation Group patrolling the shoreline for possible nesting and hatching events during this time of turtle migration period.
Raymond Sesuca, a volunteer of the said group and corporate social responsibility (CSR) manager of the town's wind farm, told The Ilocos Times that they immediately responded to the area and instructed the fishermen to temporary cover the turtles' heads with cloth to avoid stress.
After documentation, the group, along with personnel from the Philippine Coast Guard, Lifeguards Association of Pagudpud and the Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO), released the turtles at around 8:30 am.
“One of the three captured today has cut left hind flipper, probably inborn. No tags were found,” Sesuca said.
During the release, the group members said they could not tag the turtles as they are still small.
Last Sunday, Feb, 21, 2021, three bigger Olive Ridley sea turtles were also released in the same area.
Following a meeting with the local government unit of Pagudpud regarding "pawikan" conservation, Noemi Ruadap, community environment and natural resources officer, said the DENR will be hosting a training on wildlife enforcement in the area anytime soon to be attended by interested groups and individuals so that they could be deputized by the agency.
The Pagudpud local government is also planning to declare portions of the public beach in Pagudpud as well as its nearby villages as a sanctuary for marine turtles to ensure their protection.
Some residents in the area acknowledged that these marine sea turtles are endangered mostly due to human activity.
According to the World Wildlife Foundation (WWF), the greatest threat to most sea turtles is the accidental capture by fishing gears, which often results in death. They are also killed for their eggs, meat, skin and shells, and suffer from poaching and over-exploitation. Climate change also impacts sea turtle nesting beaches and eggs.
‘Friendliest beach for sea turtles’
This coastal town in Ilocos Norte has become the “friendliest beach” for sea turtles in northern Philippines as more baby pawikans are being released into the open sea earlier this year.
On the morning of Feb. 21, 2021, a group of Pawikan conservation volunteers here helped released 13 vulnerable green sea turtle hatchlings as they swam through dappled sunlight in the ocean shallows after hatching on a makeshift hatchery established by the group at Brgy. Saud.
Sesuca reported that the 13 newly-hatched baby pawikansemerged from the second nest which they have been guarding and monitoring for days since they relocated some 139 sea turtle eggs from the shoreline.
“It’s now the 18th hatchling from the second nest of 139 eggs. one was released last Friday [Feb. 19, 2021], four yesterday [Feb. 20, 2021] and 13 today [Feb. 21, 2021],” he said.
The Saud marine turtle hatchery contains at least three nests. The first nest hatched on Feb. 4, 2021 with at least five baby turtles successfully released while the two remaining were released on the end of February.
The group said they needed to relocate the sea turtle eggs found along the Pagudpud shoreline last November and December as they are threatened when the tide rises and in the presence of such predators as crablets and dogs.
On the same day, three female Olive Ridley marine sea turtles, weighing approximately 12-13 kilos each were also found and rescued at nearby Ayoyo, along Brgy. Caparispisan as these were accidentally caught by fishermen. Responders said the three were released at 10:00 am on Feb. 21, 2021. No tags and no visible external injuries were found.
It was learned that the cold months of December until February are the usual time for pawikan who return to lay eggs in the same area where they are hatched.
To ensure the protection, maintenance, and sustainability of the established pawikan hatcheries in Pagudpud town, the Dept. of Environment and Natural Resources in coordination with the Barangay and Municipal officials of Pagudpud led by Mayor Rafael Ralph Benemerito II and the conservation group will be meeting next week to formulate measures for the protection and conservation of marine sea turtles.
For her part, Ruadap lauded the efforts of the conservation volunteers as she urged everyone to do their share in protecting and conserving pawikans.