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Between June 1997 and August 2002, marine turtles were tagged in Hinatuan Surigao del Sur. This work focussed on turtles incidentally captured by fisher folk. The rationale behind the project was to help document marine turtle movements, and contribute towards the formulation of a conservation plan by national agencies. RB visited coastal barangays collecting information, and gave educational workshops in association with the Pawikan Conservation Project (PCP) of the national government. During the period, forty turtles were tagged and released: 15 hawksbill turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata), 10 olive ridley turtles (Lepidochelys olivacea), 14 green turtles (Chelonia mydas) and one loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta). Fisher folk from the area said they had regularly seen leatherbacks (Dermochelys coriacea) approaching their boats at sea nearby Hinatuan Bay, especially Baculin point. Juvenile green turtles had a mean (±SD) of 43.3cm (±2.6) Curved Carapace Length (CCL) ranging between 29 and 48.5cm CCL, with most captures between January and May. Hawksbill turtles are captured throughout the year particularly in Harip and Baculin with average carapace sizes of 39.0cm (±14.9) CCL (range 19.5-83.0cm CCL). Olive ridley turtles were encountered February-June with average carapace sizes of 42.2cm (±2.4) CCL (range 40.0-47.0cm CCL). All animals encountered excluding one large hawksbill, were juveniles. It is not known if this represents a bias in capture and/or reporting.

The main nesting sites in the area are at Tipdos Island, Makahorum Island, (locally known as turtle island), Mahaba Island, Mawis Island, Pangassinan Island, coastline of Portlamon, Harip, Campa, and Baculin, to Baculin point, with further nesting sites in adjacent beaches outside of Hinatuan municipality further north, bordering in and on Barobo Municipality. There are 15 nesting sites but approximate numbers of nests per season is unknown.
A number of incidents occurred over the course of the project, which suggest the original objectives of the project were being achieved. On a number of occasions fishfolk would bring newly caught turtles to the office of RB for tagging. They did this of their own free will and gained no monetary compensation for their efforts. On other occasions turtle eggs were delivered to RB, as the fisherfolk realized that the eggs also needed to be protected. The local government, on a number of occasions, supported the project’s work by supplying boats and gasoline without charge. A final positive note is that Hinatuan now has a turtle hatchery, which is solely run by local stakeholders with support, as well as set up costs from the Pawikan Conservation Project, of the Protected Area and Wildlife Bureau within the Department for Environment & Natural Resources.

Acknowledgements: RB would like to thank: VSO UK & Philippines(Voluntary Service Overseas, Philippines) S.C.R.U.M program, the people of Hinatuan and the Mayor, Alicia M Momongan, Mr. Gary Cacho fisheries officer for CERD, Hinatuan Local Government Unit for its support, and our Friends in the Philippine media, Eliza of Probe, and Ethel Maminta. Especially thank the Pawikan Conservation Project (PCP) (Angie, Dan, Nilo, Bian, & Obet) of the Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau (PAWB) for their help in the past and present. The British Embassy sponsored the work of RB in Surigao del Sur. To the many people’s organizations of Hinatuan that are the backbone of our work there, thank you.