INTERVENTION SUMMARY
The critical decline of sea turtle populations along Brazil’s extensive coastline was a serious problem, driven by widespread and unsustainable local practices. In key nesting areas, the harvesting of eggs and the opportunistic killing of nesting females for subsistence severely threatened future generations, while accidental bycatch from artisanal fishing also contributed to their mortality. This initiative focused on the establishment of a national conservation program, Projeto TAMAR, which implemented interventions that combined direct on-the-ground protection with deep community integration and socio-economic support. The protection strategy involved establishing a network of 21 permanently staffed conservation stations to patrol beaches and safeguard nests, either by protecting them in their natural location or by moving eggs to secure hatcheries. The community integration strategy focused on providing alternative livelihoods by hiring former poachers as conservation staff, running extensive environmental education programs, and investing directly in local services like schools and healthcare to shift social norms and increase compliance with conservation laws. The intervention was promising, as it led to a drastic reduction in the harvesting of eggs and nesting females in project areas and a significant increase in the number of protected nests. The program's community-focused strategy also successfully fostered greater local awareness and improved attitudes toward conservation. However, the evidence for this success is largely circumstantial, as other contributing factors cannot be ruled out. Additionally, the study did not measure the ultimate impact on the overall recovery of the sea turtle populations.
INTERVENTION DETAILS
What was the problem?
The problem was the critical decline of sea turtle populations along Brazil's coasts, primarily driven by local fishermen and villagers engaging in widespread egg poaching and opportunistic harvesting of nesting females for subsistence during seasonal nesting periods (September-April on mainland, December-May on islands) in key coastal and island nesting areas, and artisanal fishermen causing sea turtle mortality from accidental bycatch in coastal feeding areas by discarding "stunned" turtles due to fear of legal punishment.
What was the Intervention and How was it Implemented?
Establishment of Conservation Stations: The project created a network of 21 permanently staffed research and conservation bases along 1,100 km of coastline. At these sites, staff actively protected nests by either covering them with mesh to deter predators or by relocating eggs from high-threat areas to secure open-air hatcheries. Over time, this strategy adapted, with nearly 70% of nests eventually being left protected in their natural locations. (Increase the Effort- harden target, control access to facilities; Increase the Risks - extend guardianship, strengthen formal surveillance; Reduce the Rewards - remove targets).
Alternative Livelihood Development: A core strategy was the direct employment of local villagers, including former poachers, who made up 85% of the program's 400 staff members. This provided a primary source of income and elevated their status within the community, redirecting local conservation knowledge. The program also assisted residents in creating new income sources, such as oyster and mussel farming, to reduce their economic dependence on turtle harvesting. (Increase the Risks - extend guardianship, assist natural surveillance; Reduce Provocations - reduce frustration and stress, neutralize peer pressure).
Environmental Education and Outreach: The program conducted extensive education campaigns through visitor centers, school programs, and youth initiatives. A key component was the targeted training that taught fishermen how to safely revive and release turtles caught as bycatch. The project also solidified community support by investing a significant portion of its non-governmental funds directly into local schools and health facilities. (Remove Excuses: alert conscience, assist compliance; Reduce Provocations - reduce frustrations and stress, discourage imitation).
Was the Intervention Effective, Ineffective, or Promising?
The intervention was promising, leading to a drastic reduction in the killing of nesting females and the collection of eggs in project areas. As the project expanded its network of conservation bases, the number of protected nests significantly increased, and harmful practices, like harvesting, ceased in the main project zones. There were also observed behavioral changes, such as fishermen learning to revive and safely release turtles caught accidentally as bycatch. However, the study lacks a comparison area to prove a direct cause-and-effect link, and its mechanisms were not formally tested with data. Importantly, the impact on overall sea turtle population recovery was not measured, leaving the final conservation outcome uncertain.
How do We Know?
The intervention was promising because it led to a drastic reduction in the primary threats of egg poaching and the killing of nesting turtles in project areas. This success was driven by a multi-faceted approach that combined the direct employment of former poachers, providing them with economic alternatives, with extensive community education that shifted social norms and increased compliance. Nevertheless, the study lacked the scientific controls needed to definitively prove a cause-and-effect link and did not measure the ultimate impact on the sea turtle population's recovery.
Were Conservation Outcomes Measured?
No. The study did not measure the intervention's impact on wildlife populations.
Source: Marcovaldi, M. Â., & Dei Marcovaldi, G. G. (1999). Marine turtles of Brazil:the history and structure of Projeto TAMAR-IBAMA. Biological Conservation, 91(1), 35–41. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0006-3207(99)00043-9