The Grupo Tortuguero (www.grupotortuguero.org) was formed in 1999 as a network of fishermen and local community members dedicated to saving the sea turtles of the Baja California peninsula. The GT began as a grassroots project of the US-based nonprofit organization, Pro Peninsula in 2002. Pro Peninsula is dedicated to strengthening individual and community efforts to protect the environment throughout San Diego and the Baja California peninsula. Adhering to the GT model, fishermen in Baja California are now becoming involved in wildlife conservation, research and ecotourism and are slowly abandoning long-time traditions such as the hunting sea turtles. Today, entire fishing communities on the Baja California peninsula have become leading examples of conservation.

Sea turtles are threatened worldwide due to egg harvesting, pollution and habitat loss; however, incidental bycatch, direct take and poaching have been identified as the primary threats to most sea turtle species. This is of particular concern in areas such as the Baja California peninsula, Isla de Juventud and the Yucatán, where many small-scale fisheries operate despite there being little legal enforcement of fishing laws and capture limitations. The future of sea turtles in Cuba and Mexico lies in the hands of local fishermen, whose decisions and actions could determine the future survival or demise of sea turtles throughout the region. The GT network has grown into one of the largest and most successful conservation movements in the world, expanding its reach and bringing this unique conservation model to Cuba in order to engage fishermen from the Yucatan and Isla de Juventud for the sake of protecting local sea turtle populations . Conservationists and scientists from The Ocean Foundation’s Cuba Marine Research and Conservation Fund, along with the Center of Marine Research at the University of Havana (Centro de Investigaciones Marinas), envision using a model resembling that of the GT throughout the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico. While working to protect the endangered populations of hawksbill and green sea turtles, both institutions have been collaborating with fisheries in the Isla de Juventud area of Cuba and the states of Campeche and Quintana Roo, Mexico. This unique informational exchange between fishermen of different nationalities is made possible with support from the Christopher Reynolds Foundation and the Bay and Paul Foundations.. The fishermen will live and fish together for a week off the Isla de Juventud, and during this time, the fishermen from Baja will share their stories and experiences of switching from poaching to protecting sea turtles. They will work directly with the Cuban and Yucatan fishermen in order to identify ways in which they can began using sustainable fishing practices. Subsequently, scientists and conservationists will also be learning from the experience of residing with the fishermen for a week. Their roles will be reversed in a follow-up workshop, wherein professional scientists will learn new methods from the fishermen. These educational exchanges will foster the development of a powerful grassroots conservation tool, which will ultimately serve as a resource for coastal communities around the world. For more information and/or support, contact Giuliana Schroeder, Pro Peninsula’s Communications and Marketing Manager at gigi@propeninsula.org or 619-574-664