Another member, Olderico Da Costa, said he learned that sea turtles play a vital role in the environment. He also clearly stated that he doesn't see any benefit from exploiting sea turtles. "As a comparison, the price for 1kg fish is $40 and the price for 1kg sea turtle is $20-$30. So, selling sea turtles does not significantly increase family income," Da Costa added.
In terms of future development, Grupu Conservativu plans to raise awareness of the protection of sea turtles within and beyond Com Village. They also hope to develop eco-tourism to provide economic benefits to the local community, along with sustainable funding for sea turtle conservation initiatives. To support this process, and as part of ATSEA-2’s wider commitments to facilitate community-led conservation in the ATS region, the Program will collaborate closely with PROSPEK in support of conservation groups in Com, so they can conserve and utilise their marine and coastal environment in a more sustainable way.
In addition, the Regional Biodiversity Specialist of the ATSEA-2 Project, Casandra Tania, highlighted that the training and other sea turtle-related activities in Com Village will contribute to the Regional Sea Turtle Action Plan for the ATS region that was endorsed by the four ATS countries last year. Specifically, the regional action plan highlights the need for building local capacity and encouraging community participation in conservation initiatives. "The training was the first out of many steps to show our commitment to the betterment of sea turtles in the region," she explained.