Love of sea turtles turns Philippine poachers into protectors

CURMA's operations director Carlos Tamayo, 44, helps fisherman and turtle patroller Jessie Cabagbag, 40, hold a mother turtle before it goes back to the sea, at Bacnotan, La Union, Philippines, December 21, 2022. REUTERS/Eloisa Lopez

Armed with a wooden stick, a bucket and a headlamp, Philippine construction worker Johnny Manlugay hunts every night for the eggs of sea turtles on the pristine beaches of the northern province of La Union.

The 55-year-old can easily spot nesting sites, having been trained in his youth by his grandfather how to track the animals and their eggs, which his family traded at the time or ate.

A baby olive ridley sea turtle emerges from its nest at CURMA's hatchery, in San Juan, La Union, Philippines, December 20, 2022. Set up in 2009, CURMA or Coastal Underwater Resource Management Actions, is leading the conservations programme around La Union beaches and has turned sea turtle poachers into its allies by offering them incentives and training, allowing it to save thousands of turtles and their eggs. "We talked to the poachers, and it turns out...(poaching) was just another means for them to earn a living," said Carlos Tamayo, 44, the operations director. "They had no choice." REUTERS/Eloisa Lopez

But his egg-stealing days are over. Now Manlugay has turned his skills to helping protect marine turtles on the provincial beaches favoured by the endangered Olive Ridley species to build nesting sites.

"I've learned to love this work," said Manlugay, who was accompanied by his two dogs. "We didn't know poaching was illegal and that we should not eat turtle eggs and meat."

He carefully transferred each egg into his pail, along with some sand from the turtle nests, to be turned over to the group spearheading a conservation programme on the beaches, Coastal Underwater Resource Management Actions (CURMA).

Jessie Cabagbag, 40, who used to be a poacher and is now a sea turtle patroller, hauls his fishing net with another fisherman on his boat in Bacnotan, La Union, Philippines, January 11, 2023. Jessie is one of the volunteers for CURMA, or Coastal Underwater Resource Management Actions, which has turned sea turtle poachers into its allies by offering them incentives and training, allowing it to save thousands of turtles and their eggs. "I stopped poaching when we underwent training and were taught that what we have been doing was illegal, and that these species of turtles are endangered," he said. "I am overwhelmed with joy when the eggs hatch... I am truly proud." REUTERS/Eloisa Lopez

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All five species of sea turtles found in the Philippine archipelago - Green, Hawksbill, Loggerhead, Leatherback, and Olive Ridley - are endangered.

Slaughtered for their eggs, meat and shells, the turtles, or "pawikan" as they are called, also face threats from trade, hunting, habitat loss and climate change.

People walk along the shore at the beach in San Juan, La Union province, Philippines, December 20, 2022. REUTERS/Eloisa Lopez

But the conservation effort established in 2009 has transformed sea turtle poachers into allies, offering incentives and training to help save thousands of turtles and keep their eggs from ending up in markets and on plates.

"We talked to the poachers, and it turned out poaching was just another means for them to earn a living," said Carlos Tamayo, the programme's director of operations. "They had no choice."

Sea turtles lay 100 eggs to a nest on average, while the numbers of nests range between 35 and 40 each season, which runs from October to February.

Carlos Tamayo, 44, operations director of sea turtle conservation effort CURMA, is photographed at their hatchery in San Juan, La Union, Philippines, December 20, 2022. Set up in 2009, CURMA or Coastal Underwater Resource Management Actions, is leading the conservations programme around La Union beaches and has turned sea turtle poachers into its allies by offering them incentives and training, allowing it to save thousands of turtles and their eggs. "We talked to the poachers, and it turns out...(poaching) was just another means for them to earn a living," said Tamayo. "They had no choice." REUTERS/Eloisa Lopez

Tamayo added that the figure had doubled during the first year of the coronavirus pandemic. At a time when disease curbs kept people indoors, there was a rebound in many aspects of animal activity.

"Last season alone, for example, we had 75 nests and we released close to 9,000 hatchlings," Tamayo said.

Volunteers receive 20 pesos ($0.37) for each egg collected, or four times what they might earn from selling them. The eggs are transferred to the programme's hatchery to be reburied in protected areas.

Fisherman Jessie Cabagbag, 40, who used to be a poacher and is now a sea turtle patroller, sails out to fish, a few hours after finishing the nightly patrol with his family in Bacnotan, La Union, Philippines, January 11, 2023.Jessie is one of the volunteers for CURMA, or Coastal Underwater Resource Management Actions, which has turned sea turtle poachers into its allies by offering them incentives and training, allowing it to save thousands of turtles and their eggs. "I stopped poaching when we underwent training and were taught that what we have been doing was illegal, and that these species of turtles are endangered," he said. "I am overwhelmed with joy when the eggs hatch... I am truly proud." REUTERS/Eloisa Lopez

Former poacher Jessie Cabagbag, who grew up eating turtle meat and eggs, said the extra income from egg collection went a long way for his family, which relies mainly on fishing for its livelihood.

"The incentives help us pay for our food and electricity bill. When I got lucky, I was able to save and use it to buy a tricyle which I use (to ferry passengers) when I could not go out to fish, so that's another source of income," he added.

Cabagbag, whose wife and seven-year-old son accompany him in patrolling the La Union beach of Bacnotan, has handed more than 1,000 eggs to CURMA since October.

Fisherman Jessie Cabagbag, 40, who used to be a poacher, his son Gabriel, 7, his wife Jonnibel, 39, and their two dogs look for turtle tracks and nests in the sand during their nightly patrol at the beach in Bacnotan, La Union, Philippines, January 11, 2023. Jessie is one of the volunteers for CURMA, or Coastal Underwater Resource Management Actions, which has turned sea turtle poachers into its allies by offering them incentives and training, allowing it to save thousands of turtles and their eggs. "I stopped poaching when we underwent training and were taught that what we have been doing was illegal, and that these species of turtles are endangered," he said. "I am overwhelmed with joy when the eggs hatch... I am truly proud." REUTERS/Eloisa Lopez

"I stopped poaching when we underwent training and were taught that what we have been doing was illegal, and that these species of turtles are endangered," said the 40-year-old.

Tourists flock to the spectacle of the blue-grey hatchlings scurrying madly down the sloping beach to reach the water after they are released.

The event inspired overwhelming joy in Cabagbag, he said.

CURMA's operations director Carlos Tamayo, 44, takes a basin full of baby olive ridley turtles to the beach to be released into the sea in San Juan, La Union, December 20, 2022. Set up in 2009, CURMA or Coastal Underwater Resource Management Actions, is leading the conservations programme around La Union beaches and has turned sea turtle poachers into its allies by offering them incentives and training, allowing it to save thousands of turtles and their eggs. "We talked to the poachers, and it turns out...(poaching) was just another means for them to earn a living," said Tamayo. "They had no choice." REUTERS/Eloisa Lopez

"I am truly proud. Even our neighbours, they appreciate what I do, because it is not easy. I am happy that I get to contribute to the conservation of the 'pawikan'."

($1=54.6300 Philippine pesos)

(Writing by Karen Lema; Editing by Clarence Fernandez)

Fisherman Jessie Cabagbag, 40, who used to be a poacher, his son Gabriel, 7, and his wife Jonnibel, 39, sit during their nightly patrol at the beach in Bacnotan, La Union, Philippines, January 11, 2023. Jessie is one of the volunteers for CURMA, or Coastal Underwater Resource Management Actions, which has turned sea turtle poachers into its allies by offering them incentives and training, allowing it to save thousands of turtles and their eggs. "I stopped poaching when we underwent training and were taught that what we have been doing was illegal, and that these species of turtles are endangered," he said. "I am overwhelmed with joy when the eggs hatch... I am truly proud." REUTERS/Eloisa Lopez

Baby olive ridley sea turtles are gathered in a basin minutes after being born at CURMA's hatchery in San Juan, La Union, Philippines, January 12, 2023. Set up in 2009, CURMA or Coastal Underwater Resource Management Actions, is leading the conservations programme around La Union beaches and has turned sea turtle poachers into its allies by offering them incentives and training, allowing it to save thousands of turtles and their eggs. "We talked to the poachers, and it turns out...(poaching) was just another means for them to earn a living," said Carlos Tamayo, 44, the operations director. "They had no choice." REUTERS/Eloisa Lopez

CURMA's operations director Carlos Tamayo, 44, looks at the tracks of a mother turtle who failed to lay eggs on the beach, at Bacnotan, La Union, Philippines, December 21, 2022. Set up in 2009, CURMA or Coastal Underwater Resource Management Actions, is leading the conservations programme around La Union beaches and has turned sea turtle poachers into its allies by offering them incentives and training, allowing it to save thousands of turtles and their eggs. "We talked to the poachers, and it turns out...(poaching) was just another means for them to earn a living," said Tamayo. "They had no choice." REUTERS/Eloisa Lopez

A baby olive ridley sea turtle emerges from its nest at CURMA's hatchery, in San Juan, La Union, Philippines, December 20, 2022. Set up in 2009, CURMA or Coastal Underwater Resource Management Actions, is leading the conservations programme around La Union beaches and has turned sea turtle poachers into its allies by offering them incentives and training, allowing it to save thousands of turtles and their eggs. "We talked to the poachers, and it turns out...(poaching) was just another means for them to earn a living," said Carlos Tamayo, 44, the operations director. "They had no choice." REUTERS/Eloisa Lopez

Baby olive ridley sea turtles make their way to the sea, in San Juan, La Union, Philippines, December 20, 2022. REUTERS/Eloisa Lopez

Johnny Manlugay, 55, a construction worker who is a sea turtle patroller at night, waits for his coworker outside his home in San Juan, La Union, Philippines, January 13, 2023. Manlugay, who used to hunt sea turtles and their eggs, now uses his skills to find the nests and turn them over to CURMA, or the Coastal Underwater Resource Management Action, which has turned poachers like him into its allies by offering them incentives and training, allowing it to save thousands of turtles and their eggs from ending up in markets and on plates. "I've learned to love this work," said Manlugay. "We didn't know poaching was illegal and that we should not eat turtle eggs and meat." REUTERS/Eloisa Lopez

Sea turtle patroller Johnny Manlugay, 55, who used to hunt and is now using his skills to help marine turtle conservation, digs up a nest with eggs to turn over to CURMA's hatchery in San Juan, La Union, Philippines, December 20, 2022. Set up in 2009, CURMA or Coastal Underwater Resource Management Actions, has turned sea turtle poachers into its allies by offering them incentives and training, allowing it to save thousands of turtles and their eggs. "I've learned to love this work," said Manlugay. "We didn't know poaching was illegal and that we should not eat turtle eggs and meat." REUTERS/Eloisa Lopez

CURMA's field specialist Karlo Salazar, 19, writes down the number of sea turtle eggs turned over by patroller Johnny Manlugay, 55, at the hatchery in San Juan, La Union, Philippines, December 20, 2022. Set up in 2009, CURMA or Coastal Underwater Resource Management Actions, has turned sea turtle poachers into its allies by offering them incentives and training, allowing it to save thousands of turtles and their eggs. "I've learned to love this work," said Manlugay. "We didn't know poaching was illegal and that we should not eat turtle eggs and meat." REUTERS/Eloisa Lopez

CURMA's field specialist Karlo Salazar, 19, checks the tagging of a mother turtle before it goes back to the sea, at Bacnotan, La Union, Philippines, December 21, 2022. Set up in 2009, CURMA or Coastal Underwater Resource Management Actions, is leading the conservations programme around La Union beaches and has turned sea turtle poachers into its allies by offering them incentives and training, allowing it to save thousands of turtles and their eggs. "We talked to the poachers, and it turns out...(poaching) was just another means for them to earn a living," said Carlos Tamayo, 44, the operations director. "They had no choice." REUTERS/Eloisa Lopez

CURMA'S field specialist Karlo Salazar, 19, places a net around a nest of eggs which sea turtle patroller Johnny Manlugay, 55, turned over to the hatchery, San Juan, La Union, Philippines, December 20, 2022. Set up in 2009, CURMA or Coastal Underwater Resource Management Actions, has turned sea turtle poachers into its allies by offering them incentives and training, allowing it to save thousands of turtles and their eggs. "I've learned to love this work," said Manlugay. "We didn't know poaching was illegal and that we should not eat turtle eggs and meat." REUTERS/Eloisa Lopez

Sea turtle patroller Johnny Manlugay, 55, who used to hunt and is now using his skills to help marine turtle conservation, looks for tracks and nests to turn them over to CURMA with his dog at the beach in San Juan, La Union, Philippines, December 19, 2022. Set up in 2009, CURMA or Coastal Underwater Resource Management Actions, has turned sea turtle poachers into its allies by offering them incentives and training, allowing it to save thousands of turtles and their eggs from ending up in markets and on plates. "I've learned to love this work," said Manlugay. "We didn't know poaching was illegal and that we should not eat turtle eggs and meat." REUTERS/Eloisa Lopez

Spectators wait for olive ridley turtles to emerge from their nest at CURMA's hatchery, in San Juan, La Union, Philippines, December 20, 2022. Set up in 2009, CURMA or Coastal Underwater Resource Management Actions, is leading the conservations programme around La Union beaches and has turned sea turtle poachers into its allies by offering them incentives and training, allowing it to save thousands of turtles and their eggs. "We talked to the poachers, and it turns out...(poaching) was just another means for them to earn a living," said Carlos Tamayo, 44, the operations director. "They had no choice." REUTERS/Eloisa Lopez

Johnny Manlugay, 55, who used to hunt and is now using his skills to help marine turtle conservation, receives money for turning over a nest of over a hundred sea turtle eggs to CURMA's hatchery, in San Juan, La Union, Philippines, December 20, 2022. Set up in 2009, CURMA or Coastal Underwater Resource Management Actions, has turned sea turtle poachers into its allies by offering them incentives and training, allowing it to save thousands of turtles and their eggs. "I've learned to love this work," said Manlugay. "We didn't know poaching was illegal and that we should not eat turtle eggs and meat." REUTERS/Eloisa Lopez

Nets protect the nests of olive ridley turtles in CURMA's hatchery in San Juan, La Union, Philippines, December 19, 2022. Set up in 2009, CURMA or Coastal Underwater Resource Management Actions, is leading the conservations programme around La Union beaches and has turned sea turtle poachers into its allies by offering them incentives and training, allowing it to save thousands of turtles and their eggs. "We talked to the poachers, and it turns out...(poaching) was just another means for them to earn a living," said Carlos Tamayo, 44, the operations director. "They had no choice." REUTERS/Eloisa Lopez

Sea turtle patroller Johnny Manlugay, 55, who used to hunt and is now using his skills to help marine turtle conservation, takes eggs from a nest to turn them over to CURMA's hatchery, in San Juan, La Union, Philippines, December 20, 2022. Set up in 2009, CURMA or Coastal Underwater Resource Management Actions, has turned sea turtle poachers into its allies by offering them incentives and training, allowing it to save thousands of turtles and their eggs. "I've learned to love this work," said Manlugay. "We didn't know poaching was illegal and that we should not eat turtle eggs and meat." REUTERS/Eloisa Lopez

CURMA's operations director Carlos Tamayo, 44, documents a mother turtle going back to the sea after laying eggs on the beach in Bacnotan, La Union, Philippines, January 12, 2023. Set up in 2009, CURMA or Coastal Underwater Resource Management Actions, is leading the conservations programme around La Union beaches and has turned sea turtle poachers into its allies by offering them incentives and training, allowing it to save thousands of turtles and their eggs. "We talked to the poachers, and it turns out...(poaching) was just another means for them to earn a living," said Carlos Tamayo, 44, the operations director. "They had no choice." REUTERS/Eloisa Lopez

Johnny Manlugay, 55, who used to hunt and is now using his skills to help marine turtle conservation, transfers cooked rice into a container, as he prepares to go to a construction job, at home in San Juan, La Union, Philippines, January 13, 2023. Manlugay, who used to hunt sea turtles and their eggs, now uses his skills to find the nests and turn them over to CURMA, or the Coastal Underwater Resource Management Action, which has turned poachers like him into its allies by offering them incentives and training, allowing it to save thousands of turtles and their eggs from ending up in markets and on plates. "I've learned to love this work," said Manlugay. "We didn't know poaching was illegal and that we should not eat turtle eggs and meat." REUTERS/Eloisa Lopez

A mother turtle heads back to the sea after laying eggs on the beach in Bacnotan, La Union, Philippines, January 12, 2023. REUTERS/Eloisa Lopez

A rescued turtle recovers in a basin at CURMA's center in San Juan, La Union, Philippines, December 19, 2022. Set up in 2009, CURMA or Coastal Underwater Resource Management Actions, is leading the conservations programme around La Union beaches and has turned sea turtle poachers into its allies by offering them incentives and training, allowing it to save thousands of turtles and their eggs. "We talked to the poachers, and it turns out...(poaching) was just another means for them to earn a living," said Carlos Tamayo, 44, the operations director. "They had no choice." REUTERS/Eloisa Lopez

CURMA's operations director Carlos Tamayo, 44, prepares to drive back to the hatchery as field specialist Karlo Salazar, 19, holds a bucket full of turtle eggs, in Bacnotan, La Union, Philippines, January 13, 2023. Set up in 2009, CURMA or Coastal Underwater Resource Management Actions, has turned sea turtle poachers into its allies by offering them incentives and training, allowing it to save thousands of turtles and their eggs. "We talked to the poachers, and it turns out...(poaching) was just another means for them to earn a living," said Carlos Tamayo, 44, the operations director. "They had no choice." REUTERS/Eloisa Lopez

Fisherman Jessie Cabagbag, 40, who used to be a poacher, his son Gabriel, 7, his wife Jonnibel, 39, and their two dogs look for turtle tracks and nests in the sand during their nightly patrol at the beach in Bacnotan, La Union, Philippines, January 11, 2023. Jessie is one of the volunteers for CURMA, or Coastal Underwater Resource Management Actions, which has turned sea turtle poachers into its allies by offering them incentives and training, allowing it to save thousands of turtles and their eggs. "I stopped poaching when we underwent training and were taught that what we have been doing was illegal, and that these species of turtles are endangered," he said. "I am overwhelmed with joy when the eggs hatch... I am truly proud." REUTERS/Eloisa Lopez

Tourists dine and drink at restaurants on the beach in San Juan, La Union, Philippines, January 12, 2023. REUTERS/Eloisa Lopez

Spectators wait for olive ridley turtles to emerge from their nest at CURMA's hatchery, in San Juan, La Union, Philippines, December 20, 2022. Set up in 2009, CURMA or Coastal Underwater Resource Management Actions, is leading the conservations programme around La Union beaches and has turned sea turtle poachers into its allies by offering them incentives and training, allowing it to save thousands of turtles and their eggs. "We talked to the poachers, and it turns out...(poaching) was just another means for them to earn a living," said Carlos Tamayo, 44, the operations director. "They had no choice." REUTERS/Eloisa Lopez

Spectators watch as olive ridley sea turtle hatchlings make their way to the sea in San Juan, La Union, Philippines, January 12, 2023. REUTERS/Eloisa Lopez

Boats are seen along the shore at the beach in Bacnotan, La Union, Philippines, January 12, 2023. REUTERS/Eloisa Lopez

Boats are seen along the shore at the beach in Bacnotan, La Union, Philippines, January 12, 2023. REUTERS/Eloisa Lopez

Fish caught by Jessie Cabagbag, 40, who used to be a poacher and is now a sea turtle patroller, are counted by his relative at home in Bacnotan, La Union, Philippines, January 11, 2023. Jessie is one of the volunteers for CURMA, or Coastal Underwater Resource Management Actions, which has turned sea turtle poachers into its allies by offering them incentives and training, allowing it to save thousands of turtles and their eggs. "I stopped poaching when we underwent training and were taught that what we have been doing was illegal, and that these species of turtles are endangered," he said. "I am overwhelmed with joy when the eggs hatch... I am truly proud." REUTERS/Eloisa Lopez

An olive ridley sea turtle hatchling makes its way to the sea in San Juan, La Union, Philippines, January 12, 2023. REUTERS/Eloisa Lopez