The National Council of Protected Areas (CONAP), with support from Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), carried out a field visit to Sipacate-Naranjo National Park and El Paredón Beach to document conservation activities aimed at protecting biodiversity and promoting the establishment of marine-coastal multiple use areas.
At El Paredón Beach, the team witnessed the release of newly hatched sea turtles. The work of CONAP park rangers and community members focuses on preserving this cycle through monitored incubation programs. The team also visited Poza del Nance, in the Chiquimulilla Canal, to learn about its importance as a refuge for a diversity of marine turtle species that use the ecosystem during different stages of their life cycle, especially the Pacific green or black turtle (Chelonia mydas agassizii) and olive ridley turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea). The pool also harbors mollusks, algae, and invertebrates, making it a unique site in Central America.
It is important to highlight that the first turtle hatcheries were established in the 1980s to support the conservation of these species, along with a conservation quota system for the olive ridley turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea) to benefit local communities. These efforts marked the beginning of sea turtle conservation in Guatemala. The implementation of conservation activities has been vital, with the participation of various actors such as NGOs, educational institutions, community leaders, municipalities, government agencies, businesses, hotels, and property owners.
To guide, coordinate, and strengthen these efforts, CONAP developed the National Strategy for the Management and Conservation of Sea Turtles in 2002. In 2012, a Situational Analysis of sea turtle conservation efforts from 2002–2011 was conducted, as well as the Regulatory Framework for the Management and Conservation of Sea Turtles, which authorizes the consumption of olive ridley turtle eggs (Lepidochelys olivacea) provided that the “Conservation Quota” of 20% of each nest found is delivered.
The “Conservation Quota” is a key conservation mechanism to sustain the populations of this particular species. It also serves as an economic support system for the livelihoods of local coastal communities, tourism, and the exception granted to Guatemala by the Inter-American Convention for the Protection and Conservation of Sea Turtles (IAC).
Sea turtles found in Guatemala use the country’s seas and coasts as migration, feeding, resting, and nesting areas. Their relationship with the ecosystems is significant—their presence reflects the health of the oceans and contributes to the exchange and recycling of marine materials.
Guatemalan turtle hatcheries operate with community participation and private sector collaboration to ensure compliance with the conservation quota. Most incubated eggs come from the voluntary delivery of eggs by local collectors. The hatcheries serve as focal points for various environmental activities within the community, including environmental education, research, and sustainable tourism.
The main threats faced by sea turtles include: • Human overexploitation (consumption of eggs, meat, skin, and shell for handicrafts) • Incidental capture in longline, gillnet, and trawl fisheries • Vessel collisions • Habitat destruction • Pollution of seas, oceans, and beaches
On the Pacific coast, the main species visiting the beaches are:
Olive ridley turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea), nesting mainly from July to October, with sporadic nesting year-round.
Leatherback turtle (Dermochelys coriacea), nesting from December to February.
Pacific green or black turtle (Chelonia mydas agassizii), nesting from May to August.
During the 2022–2023 season, CONAP and collaborators along the Pacific coast released 517,238 hatchlings. In the previous season, around 67,000 sea turtle eggs were incubated at Sipacate-Naranjo National Park, and by mid-2024, approximately 24,000 eggs have been recorded.
CONAP and WCS are joining efforts to raise awareness about the richness of these areas and to encourage public participation in their protection. The marine-coastal areas being promoted are classified as Multiple Use Areas, allowing activities that foster sustainable development and improve the well-being of communities that live in and depend on natural resources.
CONAP is advancing its Marine Agenda in Guatemala to ensure that marine and coastal ecosystems gain greater representation within the Guatemalan System of Protected Areas. Currently, less than 2% of this system is represented by marine-coastal areas.
Source: CONAP