The Embassy of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela in Washington, DC, and the Inter-American Convention for the Protection and Conservation of Sea Turtles (IAC) invite the public to celebrate World Sea Turtle Day with a panel discussion on Monday, June 4 at 6:00 pm at the Bolivarian Hall, the Embassy’s cultural space in the U.S. capital.
The event, called “Sea Turtles Connect Us,” features experts Verónica Cáceres Chamorro, pro tempore secretary of the Inter-American Convention for the Protection and Conservation of Sea Turtles, and Earl Possardt of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Marine Turtle Conservation Fund. They will talk about issues affecting sea turtles and their habitats and explain regional efforts to preserve these species.
Because sea turtles migrate, their protection requires collective efforts among various countries. A sea turtle might nest on an island off the coast of Venezuela, but later end up on a beach along the U.S. coast. The discussion will illuminate these connections as well as other interesting facts about this fascinating creature. It will be followed by a reception and raffle.
Venezuelan Advances
Venezuela has developed various programs and projects aimed at ensuring the preservation of sea turtles in the country’s coastal and island zones as part of the national development plan known as the Simón Bolívar National Project.
Since 2003, Venezuela has implemented different conservation actions, including beach monitoring, track counts, nest relocation, and the rescue and release of hatchlings. Thanks these efforts, over 23,612 hatchlings have been released with support from organized communities. The most common species of sea turtles in Venezuela are the Leatherback and the Hawksbill.
In March 2008, Venezuela banned trawl fishing, which has notably reduced the number of sea turtles trapped in industrial fishing nets.
About the Convention
The Inter-American Convention for the Protection and Conservation of Sea Turtles (IAC) is the world’s first treaty dedicated to protecting six of the seven species of sea turtles found in the Western Hemisphere. It entered into force in 2001 with the objective of promoting the protection, conservation and recovery of sea turtle populations and the habitats on which they depend. Today, 15 countries belong to the Convention: Argentina, Belize, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Panama, Mexico, Peru, the Netherlands, the United States, Uruguay and Venezuela (the depository country). The IAC provides a legal framework for regional sea turtle conservation and promotes multinational cooperation.
Protected under the Convention are the Loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta), Green turtle (Chelonia mydas), Leatherback turtle (Dermochelys coriácea), Hawksbill sea turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata), Kemp’s ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys kempii) and Olive ridley turtle (Lepidochelys olivácea).
World Sea Turtle Day
The World Sea Turtle Day, which is celebrated each June 16, was created in honor of Dr. Archie Carr, a naturalist who dedicated his life to understanding sea turtles. Carr is responsible for much of what we know today about the biology of these species. For more information, visit www.iacseaturtle.org.
What: Panel discussion “Sea Turtles Connect Us”
When: Monday, June 4, 2012
Time: 6 to 8 pm
Where: Bolivarian Hall, 2443 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Washington D.C. 20008
RSVP: crodriguez@venezuela-us.org
Press Office – Venezuelan Embassy to the U.S. / May 31, 2012
