SFS Annual Turtle Festival Sees Attendance Increase from 150 to 10,000

September, 2008

Salem, Massachusetts - The School for Field Studies Center for Coastal Studies along with members of the Grupo Tortuguero, a global network dedicated to sea turtle conservation, held their seventh annual Turtle Festival last August in Mexico's Puerto San Carlos, with an attendance record of 10,000 people, an increase from 150 at their first festival in 2002.

“It is really encouraging to see how something that started as a one-day event at the school has evolved over the years into a huge three-day occasion. Hundreds of people showed up for contests, food, dancing, and even a crowning of the Turtle Princess… It was a big success!” said student Kelly Abbatiello.  “There were more than 10,000 people over the three days that it lasted. People came all the way from places such as Ensenada and Mexico City, just to take part in it,” added Gustavo Hinojosa, Center Director at the SFS Center for Coastal Studies.

The coastal environment of Bahía Magdalena, located on the Baja Peninsula, is home to the fishing community of Puerto San Carlos as well as an important feeding ground and nursery area for East Pacific green turtles, olive ridley, hawksbill and the rare loggerhead turtles.  Bahía Magdalena has also played a critical role in supporting its human residents.  A growing tourism industry provides income for many residents and fishers ply the waters for commercially important species.  Critically endangered sea turtles are caught as by-catch in some of these fishing operations, or they are fished for human consumption as a delicacy.

SFS students and local community members began the Turtle Festival began in 2002 with a mission to promote responsible fishing and sea turtle conservation.  Past festivals have hosted various environmentally themed booths offering face painting, games, drawing contests, sand sculptures of sea turtles, and dances by local school groups.  Representatives from universities, government, and non-profit organizations from mainland Mexico to the U.S., present on topics relating to sea turtle conservation and sustainable fishing practices. 

Two years ago, a group of concerned citizens and SFS staff decided that the festival needed to be bigger to be able to fulfill its aims, so it was held in the main plaza in Puerto San Carlos to accommodate the crowds.

About The School for Field Studies

Since 1980, The School for Field Studies (SFS), the nation's oldest and largest environmental study abroad program, has combined hands-on environmental studies with scientific research to develop sustainable solutions to critical environmental problems. SFS students work with communities in developing nations to discover practical ways to manage their natural resources. In the process, SFS students undergo a transformational experience that assists them in advancing their careers as skilled professionals and globally aware citizens.

www.fieldstudies.org

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