100 “pawikan” eggs found along Tayabas Bay shores in Quezon

LUCENA CITY — Another 100 freshly laid sea turtle eggs were collected Sunday morning along the shores of Tayabas Bay in Sariyaya, Quezon, bringing the total number of eggs gathered during the current nesting season to 195.

“We’re expecting more eggs in the coming days,” Edwin Frias, a deputized fish warden and member of the local “bantay dagat,” told the Inquirer in an online interview.

Frias said conservation workers found the eggs along the shoreline of Barangay Bignay 2, the same site where they also found 95 eggs on Sept. 25.

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READ: 95 turtle eggs found as Tayabas Bay nesting season starts early

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Olive Ridley Hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata) and Green Sea turtles (Chelonia mydas) are among the marine turtle species that lay eggs along the shores of Tayabas Bay from October to December. The eggs generally hatch after 45 to 60 days of incubation.

Tayabas Bay stretches from San Juan, Batangas, across several coastal towns in Quezon, including Sariaya, Pagbilao, Padre Burgos, Agdangan, Unisan, Pitogo, Macalelon, General Luna, Catanauan, Mulanay and San Francisco, extending to Lucena City.

Local fishermen, pawikan conservation volunteers and government agencies help protect eggs in nesting sites until hatchlings emerge and can be safely released into the sea.

READ: Sea turtle rescued, released off Quezon’s Jomalig Island

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After reviewing his records, Frias clarified that more than 3,000 sea turtle hatchlings—not 2,000, as previously reported—were released into Tayabas Bay during last year’s nesting season.

Last week, the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry–Quezon Province Inc. (PCCI-Quezon) donated materials to construct another nesting site in Barangay Bignay 2.

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Frias urged residents of coastal communities to protect sea turtle eggs and the marine animals themselves. “It is for the benefit of us all,” he appealed.

READ: Illegal fishing endangers turtle nesting in Quezon – group

The presence of sea turtles indicates a balanced marine ecosystem and means an abundant supply of fish in the area.

Despite conservation efforts, however, the illegal trade in sea turtle eggs remains a concern. An informant told the Inquirer that buyers had been visiting coastal communities and offering between P150 and P250 per egg.

Some people tend to seek sea turtle eggs for their supposed aphrodisiac properties, and they command high prices in illegal markets.

Aside from poaching and the illegal trade in eggs and meat, destructive fishing practices and habitat degradation continue to threaten marine turtle populations.

One danger comes from large stationary fish traps known as “baklad,” which are installed in portions of Tayabas Bay. Several turtles have reportedly been found dead after becoming trapped in these structures and drowning.

Dynamite fishing, another prohibited and destructive practice, also threatens marine life. Underwater explosions can injure or kill marine animals and damage their habitats, while blast fishing can devastate fish populations and other organisms.

The Quezon police have repeatedly reported cases of illegal fishing, including the use of explosives, in their daily incident reports.

The Switzerland-based environmental authority, the International Union for Conservation of Nature, has classified sea turtles as endangered species.

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Their protection here is guaranteed by Republic Act No. 9147, or the Philippine Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act./coa