Protecting Puerto Galera’s Sea Turtles

In Puerto Galera, that message has become especially urgent following the reported deaths of four green sea turtles in incidents involving boats. Sea turtles must regularly rise to the surface to breathe, making them vulnerable in busy coastal waters. The death of even one adult turtle is a serious loss because turtles grow slowly and only a small number of hatchlings survive to adulthood.

 

Puerto Galera is home to several species of sea turtles, locally known as pawikan. Green turtles feed in seagrass beds and shallow coastal areas, while hawksbill turtles are commonly associated with coral reefs. Olive ridley turtles have also nested along the municipality’s beaches.

 

Earlier this year, the Puerto Galera local government and the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office released 94 hawksbill turtle hatchlings from a nesting site at Long Beach in Barangay San Antonio. Their release offered a hopeful reminder that Puerto Galera’s beaches and coastal waters remain important habitats for marine life.

However, releasing hatchlings is only one part of protecting turtles. They must also survive the many dangers they encounter as they grow.

Another turtle has also been traveling around Puerto Galera—one made from discarded plastic.The display has been visiting local schools, giving children a clear and powerful picture of how plastic waste affects the sea. Sachets, wrappers, bottles and bags thrown away on land can eventually reach rivers, beaches and coastal waters. Turtles may mistake plastic for food or become trapped in it, often with fatal consequences. By bringing the display directly to schools, children are encouraged to think about where their waste goes and what they can do to reduce it. The plastic turtle carries a simple message: what we throw away does not disappear.

On July 22, Stairway launched a pilot run of the Sea Adventure School for 14 boat operators in Puerto Galera. Conducted in partnership with the Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Office (MENRO), the activity recognized boat operators as front-liners of the municipality’s tourism industry. Many are also fisher-folk whose livelihoods depend on healthy reefs, clean seas, and thriving marine life.The session combined lessons about marine ecosystems with discussions about Puerto Galera’s history. Participants were encouraged to share this knowledge with visitors during their tours, helping passengers better understand the places they visit and the marine life beneath the surface.

 

Boat operators are in a unique position to help. They can slow down in areas where turtles are frequently seen, watch carefully for animals surfacing, report injured turtles and remind passengers not to throw waste into the sea. They can also turn every trip into an opportunity for environmental education.The recent turtle deaths should not be seen as the responsibility of boat operators alone. Protecting Puerto Galera’s marine life requires cooperation among local government, tourism establishments, fishing communities, residents and visitors. Safer boating practices, better waste management and continuing environmental education are all needed.

 

Future Sea Adventure School sessions are planned to reach more members of Puerto Galera’s boating and fishing communities. World Turtle Day may be observed only once a year, but protecting turtles must happen every day—in our homes, schools, communities and out at sea.The plastic turtle visiting local schools and the boat operators taking part in the Sea Adventure School carry the same message: Puerto Galera’s marine life belongs to all of us, and so does the responsibility to protect it.

Did you know? Puerto Galera is known around the world for its extraordinary natural beauty? It is a UNESCO Man and the Biosphere Reserve, home to rich forests, mangroves, sea grass beds and coral reefs, while Puerto Galera Bay has been recognized as one of the Most Beautiful Bays in the World.