Every day the volunteers will cycle (5km) to the “Molhe Oeste” to carry out monitoring activities, such as:
- Sighting sea turtles from a fixed point (Molhes de Barra)
- Teams will take turns to go to the breakwaters by bike or foots to observe for two hours, and rest for 30 minutes per sighting. They will record the number of animals sighted, oceanographic and meteorological data and some other measurements.
- Monitor of amateur and artisanal fishing in the Breakwaters of Barra de Rio Grande.
As well as sighting animals, volunteers will follows amateur and artisanal fishing activities and record the number of fisherman using each type of fishing gear (holding net, net, line and rod, etc). They will interview the fishermen socioeconomic questions and receive the sea turtles caught incidentally by the fishermen partners of Caminho Marinho. If turtles are captured, the volunteers will manage the captured animals following Caminho Marinho’s correct protocol.
Twice a week, when the conditions are safe and good, the volunteers will go to intentionally captured sea turtles in Molhe Oeste to carry out biometrics, sampling and tagging. To intentionally capture green sea turtles, we use a waiting gill net (50m length, 3.2m height, 30cm mesh).
The turtles that are captured are characterized by the presence or absence of tumors and epibionts, obtained biometrics, skin, blood and carapace collection, then are later tagged and released.
In order to raise awareness about turtle protection issues and conservation of the environment some of these releases will take place in the presence of local tourists and residents. This will promote interaction between the community and the activities of Caminho Marinho.
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