Securing the future existence of marine turtles in Guyana
The Guyana Marine Conservation Society (GMCS) was established in 2000 with the primary mission of ensuring the future existence and population recovery of all the four species of marine turtles known to nest in Guyana, while addressing the needs of the communities. Engagement of the indigenous communities in alternative income projects to reduce their dependency on harvesting of sea turtle meat and eggs was an integral element in the successful launch and continued existence of North West Organic line of products which can be found in the leading supermarkets today.
GMCS was founded by its President Mrs Annette Arjoon-Martins, who managed and spearheaded many community outreach programmes pertaining to the conservation of the marine turtles, in collaboration with the local stake holders, governmental and donor agencies.
GMCS’s mission is part of a global effort and involves the tagging and monitoring of the nesting marine turtles and awareness campaigns which has played a major role in the declaration of Shell Beach as a Protected Area. Legislation now governs the illegal take of all the endangered species from within that area and persons caught in illegal acts will face the consequences of the law.
According to the current GMCS President, Mrs. Arjoon-Martins, other aspects of GMCS thematic areas of work include biodiversity surveys, community outreach, and the design and delivery of environmental education and awareness programs.
Shell Beach Protected Area (SBPA)
SBPA is one of Guyana’s protected areas managed by the Protected Areas Commission; other protected areas include the Kaieteur Falls National Park and the Kanuku Mountains Protected Area (KMPA). The SBPA, along with KMPA, was created in 2011 after the passage of the Protected Areas Act in 2011.
SBPA is in the northwestern part of Guyana in Region 1( Barima-Waini) and stretches over 120 km (75 miles) of beaches and mudflats along the Atlantic coast. The coastal beaches are made of fragmented shells rather than sand, hence the generic name shell beach. Shell beaches can be found in Suriname and French Guiana, which also have marine turtle nesting grounds. The SBPA covers an area of 123,055 hectares (1,203 sq km, 304,074 acres). In the inland portion of the protected area, it is bound by the rivers named Moruca, Barabara, Biara, Baramani, and Waini.
SBPA is special because it has Guyana’s largest and most intact mangrove forests considered the most important ecosystems to the security of biodiversity in the Guiana Shield. It is also an important nesting ground for four of the world’s threatened species of marine turtles namely, the leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea), hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata), olive ridley (Lepidochelys olivacea), and green turtle (Chelonia mydas). They visit the beaches from February to August each year. Turtle monitoring takes place at Almond Beach during this period. It also has a diversity of other animals and birds. (Reference: SBPA management plan, 2014) Since the area was declared a protected area it falls under the management of the Protected Areas Commission which has continued the programme of recording and tagging of marine turtles, data collection on all field based monitoring activities.
GMCS Past Projects
Several other projects include a Monitoring Programme; this involves the empowerment of the resident Amerindian peoples to be the stewards of the resources upon which they ultimately depend. GMCS actively employed persons from the Waramuri, Santa Rosa and Almond Beach communities, who would ordinarily have been turtle hunters or consumers, so that they can experience an alternative to killing the animals. In addition Community Development seeks to identify economic alternatives for user communities as a means of achieving sustainable livelihoods.
Environmental Education and Awareness; GMCS works with stakeholders at all levels to promote awareness of the need to protect the marine turtles and natural resource management of the area. GMCS has, over the years, trained numerous teachers from neighbouring communities in promoting conservation messages in the classroom
Research; GMCS organizes and conducts research that will promote the protection and conservation of cultural, natural and archaeological resources within the Shell Beach area.
Human intervention and engagement, such as fishing activities in the nearby coastal waters and in front of nesting beaches, contributed to the loss of many adult turtles that had been caught accidently and drowned in nets. However this was resolved by collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture which has assisted in having no fishing zones implemented at the most populated nesting beaches and the respecting of same by the local fishermen.
Marine turtle nesting and monitoring activities will begins in February and concludes in the later part of August.
Activism
Annette Arjoon is a pilot, aviation and environmental advocate; she is the President of the Guyana Marine Conservation Society (GMCS) and the National Air Transport Association (NATA) Her expertise in designing and implementing alternative livelihood programs for the indigenous communities that depended on sea turtle meat in the Shell Beach Protected Area resulted in her being awarded the Anthony Sabga Caribbean Award for Excellence in Public and Civic Service in 2009.
She was the recipient of the Golden Arrow of Achievement, one of Guyana’s National Award, in 2017 for her contribution to environmental protection.
She is the Chair of the Environment Committee of the Private Sector Commission and the PSC representative on Thematic Area 2: Sustainable Management of Natural Resources and Expansion of Environmental Services: stewardship of natural patrimony of the Green State Development Strategy (GSDS). (Guyana Times Sunday Magazine)
