Miches, RD.- The Miches Sea Turtle Monitoring and Protection Program (Protortoise) successfully celebrated the closing of its 2023 season, marking a milestone in the conservation of sea turtles in the country. This initiative, carried out through a collaboration between the El Seibo-Miches PROMICHES Hotel and Tourism Association and the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resourceshas focused on monitoring and protecting sea turtle nesting spaces in Miches and La Vacama.
The success of Proturtle has been possible thanks to a public-private-community alliance in which various organizations, local businesses, and community leaders have joined forces to guarantee the best conditions for the reproduction of sea turtles in this area. Among the participating entities are the El Seibo-Miches PROMICHES Hotel and Tourism Association, Tropicalia, Club Med Michès Playa Esmeralda, Punta Cana-Macao Energy Consortium CEPM and WID Company. It is worth highlighting the support of the El Seibo Resiliente project, executed by the German Development Cooperation, GIZ.
“Sea turtle conservation is essential to ensure the survival of these endangered species. In Miches, tourism has been a driver of development, especially for rural communities. However, there is ample room for innovation in sustainability. Our vision is to build a tourism development model that prioritizes the needs of ecosystems and makes them responsibly available to the residents and visitors of this destination,” stated Yamil Isaías, president of PROMICHES, in his opening remarks.
The event was also attended by the Vice Minister of Coastal and Marine Resources, José Ramón Reyes, who highlighted “Proturtle is an exemplary project that demonstrates that responsible tourism and sea turtle conservation can coexist harmoniously. The shared vision between the Ministry and the Miches tourism sector is that this new destination is developed under a model in which the actions undertaken guarantee a safer future for these species on our coasts.” The event also brought together prominent figures from the public and private sectors, national and international environmental experts, and representatives of the local press.
The achievements of Proturtle in the 2023 season are notable. During this period, 21 sea turtle nests were identified and protected, including the first record of Green and Hawksbill turtle nesting in the area, with an astonishing 100% conservation of the monitored nests. In total, 1,399 normal eggs and 728 hatchlings were recorded, which hatched and arrived safely at sea. Raising awareness about the importance of these species was also a key focus, reaching 300 girls from the ‘I am a girl I am important’ program, 31 employees of the Club Med Michès Playa Esmeralda hotel, and 53 students from the local Vocational School through workshops dedicated to the importance of sea turtles for the marine-coastal ecosystem.
One of the most significant achievements of the season was the resolution of the Ministry of Tourism that prohibits the transit of horses and motor vehicles, as well as the landing of helicopters, in Playa Esmeralda, which has had a positive impact on the nesting process. of sea turtles.
The scope of the program covers 50 km of beach, including Playa Esmeralda West and East, Playa Celedonio, Playa Limón, Playa Barbacoa-Nisibón, and Playa La Vacama. For this season, Playa Esmeralda Este and Playa Limón were actively monitored, although surveillance was maintained on the others. To facilitate the identification and monitoring of nests, measures were implemented such as beach sectorization with wooden signs painted with numbers in reflective paint, fencing, and nest marking. In addition, constant monitoring was carried out, both day and night, to ensure the safety of the sea turtles and their nests.
The program included an extensive period of research and data collection spanning seven months, during which a total of 30 events were monitored, including 21 sea turtle nests and 9 snail nests. This success has been possible thanks to the collaboration of leading experts in sea turtle conservation, both nationally and internationally. The advice of Claudio Quesada-Rodríguez and Laura Villalobos, from Costa Rica; and Marvin del Cid, Rita Selllares, and Omar Shamir from the Dominican Republic, has consolidated the scientific basis of the program since its inception, ensuring the best results at a technical level.
Additionally, the collaboration with the local community and organizations such as the Provincial Environment Office, the El Cedro District Board, and the National Aquarium, which have actively participated in the initiative, stand out.
Proturtle is an outstanding example of how collaboration between the public, private, and community sectors can be key to the conservation of endangered species and the sustainable development of a region. The shared vision is that responsible, resilient, and regenerative tourism, and sea turtle conservation, can coexist harmoniously, contributing to the safe future of these species along the entire Miches coast.
About PROTORTUGA
The Miches Sea Turtle Monitoring and Protection Program (Protortuga) is an initiative executed through an agreement between the El Seibo-Miches PROMICHES Hotel and Tourism Association and the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources. Its objective is to guarantee the best conditions for the reproduction of sea turtles on the beaches of Miches and La Vacama, through a public-private-community alliance that prioritizes resilient and regenerative tourism development in the Dominican Republic.