Mexico and Panama Boost Marine Turtle Conservation Efforts

From July 31 to August 2, the 13th Festival of the Marine Turtle was held at Playa Chaparrales in the Totonacapan Sanctuary, Veracruz, Mexico. Organized by the National Commission of Protected Natural Areas (CONANP) together with the municipal government of Cazones de Herrera and the Marco Antonio Muñoz community, the event released 2,505 hatchlings of green, loggerhead and hawksbill turtles. About 3,855 participants attended beach‑clean‑up activities that collected roughly 70 kg of waste and took part in educational workshops, sports, cultural performances and a “Find Your Nest” game.

In Panama, the Ministry of Environment officially created a permanent National Committee for the Protection, Conservation and Sustainable Management of Marine Turtles. Chaired by Digna Barsallo, the committee brings together NGOs, government agencies, fishermen’s unions, universities and indigenous groups to implement Law 371 of 2023, develop a national monitoring plan, standardized data forms and a national turtle‑monitoring system.