11 Mar
2008 - Pemba, Mozambique – After more than
6 years since marine turtles or their eggs
where last spotted in the uninhabited Rolas
Island, in the Quirimbas National Park (QNP),
two nests were found in the island recently.
This amazing discovery was made by two park
rangers during an internal assessment visit
carried out last week.
According to Augusto
Omar, a local religious leader and park
counselor: “6 years ago the pressure over
marine resources (including marine turtles)
in this island was very high…people use
to come even from Tanzazia to catch and
eat turtles and their eggs, but now things
have changed: it’s the community watching
over the island and it is now a safer place
for this species”. “…at the time (6 years
ago) you could easily find about 70 fishermen
camping there, but that is over now thanks
to the Park”, concluded Omar.
With the creation of
the park and the establishment of marine
protected areas (sanctuaries), the number
of fishermen visiting the island has decreased,
and now even two park rangers are based
there. The local community fishermen work
in close collaboration with the ranges in
order to ensure that the sanctuaries aren’t
violated by local and illegal fishermen.
“The implementation
of the Marine Turtle Conservation Programme
has helped them understand the importance
of this endangered species; now we have
results here and in other parts of the country
where we are implementing this programme.”
Said Alice Costa, a WWF Mozambique Marine
Biologist, who also added: “this is all
possible not only because they are aware,
but mostly because they participate in monitoring
activities”.
In addition, other species
considered to have been disappeared a few
years ago in the park are now being seen
again very often; this is the case of grey
mullet (mugil cephalus) and some species
of parrot-fish.
The Rolas Island is
located in the north of the Quirimbas National
Park and has one established Marine Protected
Area.
Lécio Munguambe, Communication Officer
WWF Mozambique Coordination Office
