Parismina

Barra de Parismina, a small community south of Tortuguero National Park, for many years was a hotspot for poaching of eggs, meat, and shells. Save the Turtles of Parismina (ASTOP in Spanish) has developed one of the country’s most successful community-based conservation projects, involving residents in patrolling, educating children, hosting visitors, and conducting scientific research.

History of Turtle Use

The town has long been dependent on these creatures. Starting out as a base for fishermen catching and exporting turtles, it has evolved into a town focused on protecting them. Nearby in Tortuguero National Park, the Caribbean Conservation Corporation is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the world’s first turtle conservation project, which has been very successful. Unfortunately, due to the proximity to the Park, the beach here has attracted poachers from all parts of the country to hunt turtles and their eggs without interference from the authorities.

In the late 1990’s, the opening of a new and closer road with access to nearby towns, along with bigger and faster boats and motors, made commercialization of turtle products much easier. According to information from the Environmental Section of the Costa Rican Coast Guard, 98% of the eggs laid here, were poached and 98% of the greens and hawksbills that came here to nest were killed.

The Start of Turtle Conservation in Parismina

The local economy was very limited and the village’s population continued to grow. In 2001, under the guidance of the Coast Guard, a handful of villagers, mostly young adults, started the conservation program. They began with environmental education and then learned how to build a hatchery, measure and tag turtles, and relocate and camouflage nests. They patrolled each night alongside the Coast Guard with their only payment being the knowledge that they were doing something to help preserve these species.

The villagers formed ASTOP in 2001; many of the patrollers (turtle guides) are former poachers. These former poachers found it easier to patrol at night and help the organization protect turtles rather than trying to avoid confrontations with the Coast Guard. In 2002, EcoTeach (a US-based ecotourism company) sent a group of students to the town, the first time patrollers were paid. There were and still are some determined poachers. However, the poaching had dropped from 98% to less than 40%. With 20-26 local men and women working as guides, the project has increased the income of the villagers tremendously. Many other villagers benefit from housing volunteers and tour groups, selling handicrafts, guiding tours, and working in locally-owned stores and restaurants visited by travelers.

Current Conservation Program

ASTOP has developed a comprehensive conservation program to protect the turtles that arrive on their beach. From March to September, members of the association conduct nightly patrols of approximately 4 miles of beach from 8 pm until 4 am. When a nesting female is found, researchers collect the eggs and move them to a hatchery, where they can be protected 24 hours a day until they hatch.

Since the program started, they have released thousands of leatherback hatchlings back into the ocean, a critical step towards restoring the population. Led by an experienced biologist, ASTOP collects data on every turtle they encounter, including tag numbers (to help determine the populations), size, number of eggs, distinguishing markings, time of nesting, and location. This information helps the association to determine preferred nesting locations and times to increase their efficiency, as well as helping to determine how many turtles are being hit by boats, caught in nets, or have diseases.

The 5.6 km beach near Parismina is patrolled every night from 8 pm until 4 am from March through October. These guides search for nesting females, measure and tag them, check for diseases, and collect the eggs. The eggs are either relocated to the hatchery or on the beach to an area of less risk. However, most eggs are brought back to the hatchery to protect them from poachers and dogs. Beach surveys are done every morning to evaluate the work of the patrols and the success rate of the nests.

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