Center for Marine Biodiversity and Conservation

Barra de Santiago is a small artisanal fishing community located in the Municipality of Jujutla, Department of Ahuachapán in the Republic of El Salvador. The conservation of hawksbill sea turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata) has recently become a top priority in El Salvador, as approximately 45% of known nesting sites in the Eastern Pacific region occur along the El Salvadoran coast, with the majority occurring in mangrove ecosystems. Hawksbill sea turtles in this region, like elsewhere, have been overexploited due to the use of their ornate shells for jewelry and handicrafts and the collection and consumption of their eggs as a source of food and income for many impoverished communities in Central America. Barra de Santiago is exceptional in that there is an all-women community organization called the Association of Community Development of Women in Barra de Santiago (AMBAS, in Spanish) leading sea turtle and other conservation initiatives. The primary objectives of this study were to: (1) characterize wildlife conservation strategies in Barra de Santiago; (2) investigate how the women of AMBAS came to serve conservation leadership roles in the community; (3) discover how AMBAS facilitates endangered wildlife conservation efforts with emphasis on hawksbill sea turtles; and, (4) compare AMBAS conservation values and knowledge of sea turtles to those of women that participate in fishing cooperatives in the Bay of Jiquilisco. All of these objectives were met via interview-based research. The information gathered from interviews and surveys was used to compile a list of recommendations that will inform local non-profit organizations working in the region about future research (regarding hawksbill sea turtles and other conservation initiatives), potential funding opportunities for AMBAS, and environmental regulation efforts in Barra de Santiago.