As the world celebrates the international Year of the Turtle (2006), a coastal village where a sea turtle nested in the last months has been enjoying “visits” and interactions with the sea creatures.

Mayor Domingo Doctor said at least four sea turtles of different species were seen in the Iloi-iloi (pronounced Iliw-iliw) village this April. Three of them were tagged and released to the sea but one died before it can be freed.

The villagers were “thrilled” by the visits and since they already know the importance of conserving wild life, they “surrender” the sea turtles to the local officials which coordinate with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources for the release. Doctor said.

Nicanor Braga, the town’s agricultural technologist and fishery coordinator, identified the sea turtles as Olive Ridley (Lepidochelys olivacea) which measured 60 x 63 cms) which got caught in a fisherman’s net; Hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata) which measured 29 x 25) and a green turtle (Chelonia mydas) measuring 34 x 27 cms. The Hawksbill and the green turtle were caught while swimming near the beach.

The dead one was a Hawksbill which died because it got entangled with the seaweeds where the fishermen tied it. It was already weak when the fishermen surrendered the turtle to the authorities, Braga said.

The village recently played host to an Olive Ridley turtle which nested in the area. Only six of the eggs however, were seen to have hatched and the hatchlings were released to the sea.

“Most of the eggs rotted maybe because it rained for several nights and the water seeped into the nest,” Doctor said.

He said he prohibited fishing in the rocky portion of the coastal village to lure more sea turtles in the area. The local government is contemplating to declare the place as a wildlife marine sanctuary.

The last time sea turtles were seen in the village was in 2003 when an Olive Ridley swam near the beach. A green turtle was caught by the fishermen in 2000 and a green turtle, in 2002.

When asked if something was going amiss in the sea which makes the sea turtles go ashore, Angelita Viloria a biologist involved in the DENR Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau’s (PAWB) pawikan conservation project, said “no.”

“Actually, this is a happy news. It means that the sea turtles are starting to thrive because of conservation efforts,” she told the Inquirer in a telephone interview.

All the sea turtle species are listed as endangered by the Convention on International Trade on Endangered Species, according to a paper Viloria furnished to the Inquirer.

A press release of the PAWB said 23 member countries of the Indian Ocean-South East Asian Marine Turtle Memorandum of Understanding declared 2006 as International Year of the Turtle with the theme “Cooperating to Conserve Marine Turtles – Our Ocean’s Ambassadors.” The declaration was made on March 1 in Bangkok, Malaysia.

Among the seven species of marine turtles known to exist all over the world, five species are frequently encountered in the Philippines, including those seen in this town. The two others are loggerhead (Caretta caretta) and leatheback (Dermochelys coriacea).

Republic Act 9147 or the Wildlife Act, prohibits the hunting, killing and collecting of marine turtles and their by-products. Fine ranges from P100,000 to P1 million and/or imprisonment of 6-12 years.