9th
Annual Meeting of the Grupo Tortuguero:
"Se Necesita Toda Una Comunidad"
January 26-28, 2007 – Loreto,
BCS
ON JANUARY 26-28, 2007 THE 9TH ANNUAL
Meeting of Grupo Tortuguero was held in Loreto,
BCS and was a roaring success! The Grupo Tortuguero,
Pro Peninsula, GEA and the community of Loreto
served host for over 400 participants from the
U.S,Mexico, Canada, Guatemala and Japan.
Reflecting the meeting’s theme,
“Se Necesita Toda Una Comunidad “
(It Takes a Community), the meeting highlighted
the important role everyone plays in sea turtle
conservation. Long term conservation takes commitment
and hard work by everyone and this years meeting
attendees- including youth, teachers, fishermen,
scientists, conservationists and others- celebrated
their role in saving sea turtles.
During the past year, the Grupo
Tortuguero has successfully expanded its reach
throughout the communities of the Baja California
peninsula, mainland Mexicoand the world. The Grupo
Tortuguero’s community-based teams have
worked together to gather data that proves that
the waters surrounding the peninsula are a sea
turtle “hotspot” of global importance.
More importantly, these community members have
taken on the role of conservation ambassadors,
promoting environmental awareness and creating
a sense of pride within their communities. They
have inspired youth and adults alike to actively
participate in conservation programs as well as
create their own conservation projects.
Presentations at the 2007 meeting
reflected all of the hard work and many successes
achieved by the group and its communities. Grupo
Tortuguero biologist, Melania Lopez, presented
the 5-year monitoring report that included the
results of years of monitoring sea turtle populations
throughout the peninsula. Other presentations
included the results of Grupo Tortuguero members’
education and outreach programs, community conservation
programs and international exchanges.
Additionally, this meeting was important
as it was the precursor for the 10th Annual Meeting
of the Grupo Tortuguero to be held in conjunction
with the International Sea Turtle Symposium in
Loreto, January 20-27, 2008. This meeting will
be the most important meeting in the history of
the Grupo Tortuguero and a landmark event for
the community of Loreto. The combined meeting
will join together the world’s foremost
authorities on sea turtle biology and conservation
with Baja California’s community conservation
leaders in what will be an incredible opportunity
for sharing, learning and planning the next decade
of turtle-saving on the peninsula. The theme of
the 2008 conference is “Native Oceans”
and will celebrate and bring together the world’s
sea turtle cultures, such as the Seri Indians
(Comcaac) of Sonora.
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