More than 14 organizations grouped in the Panamanian Sea Turtle Conservation Network (PANATORTUGAS) and independent defenders of this species, raised their voices in the face of the increase in the mortality of these reptiles.
During the months of September, October and November 2022, members of PANATORTUGAS reported 160 dead sea turtles, mainly of the Chelonia mydas species (listed as endangered, according to the 2022 IUCN red list, on beaches of the Pacific coast of the Chiriqui provinces [18 tortugas + 1 delfín + 1 tiburón ballena]Veraguas [172 + 1 delfin]The Saints [76 tortugas]Darien [10 tortugas] and Panama (3 turtles).
Faced with this, through a statement they demanded that the Ministry of the Environment (MiAmbiente) manage and allocate human and financial resources to fill the gap in trained field personnel ready to face problems of stranding sea turtles, both alive and dead. , immediately and effectively, from prevention, monitoring, execution, communication, and disclosure.
They also require the authorities to create awareness and motivate citizen participation for the conservation and effective management of natural resources. “If we limit the discussion of sea turtle conservation to biological and technical issues, we risk missing essential social issues, on which conservation issues are based. Let us remember, then, that the issues of biological conservation and human activities are closely related to each other, and can only be resolved by consensus”, they stressed.
They added that priority should be given to taking measures on regulatory issues that support urgent and immediate actions, without assuming that the lack of information is the equivalent of
negative information, without a justification to reject or accept a fact based on
in the precautionary principle, when the information is uncertain, unreliable or inadequate.
Therefore, the current lack of adequate scientific information should not be used
as an argument to postpone or stop adopting conservation measures and
management, given the evident loss of sea turtles.
They maintain that it is important to promote strategic studies on sea turtle populations, maintain a national database for public use, provide an annual report on the status of populations in Panama; Likewise, present and disseminate the results of research, negotiations, meetings and international and national agreements.
