Young people are in a unique position to help conserve marine turtles. They are often the
best people to inform their peers at school, at home in the family and in the village. Teachers’
enjoy a unique position to bring information to students and to play a formative role in their
development.

There are many ways for young people to become involved in conservation of marine turtles.
We hope that the information and activities provided in this tool-kit will encourage young
people to think about the role of marine turtles in our world and to encourage them to ask
themselves, their family and friends and village leaders what the future of marine turtles in
Solomon Islands and the world might be. Below are just a few suggestions. We hope that you
will think of many more after working through the activities contained in the following pages.

What you can do to help the turtles?

1) Educate your family, friends and village about marine turtles.

2) Stop or reduce the killing of adult turtles and the harvesting eggs.

3) If you find a turtle with a flipper tag, do not remove the tag. Copy down all of the
tag’s information on a piece of paper and give it to your local fisheries offi ce or to a
conservation organization such as WWF or TDA.

4) Allow turtles to come to your beaches and lay their eggs without disturbing them (i.e. do
not kick them, do not stand on their backs and do not roll them over – this can injure or
kill them).

5) Do not disturb turtles when you see them on the reef or in the lagoon (i.e. do not spear or
catch them).

6) Take all plastic rubbish home with you – do not throw it in the sea because turtles may
mistake it for food (this can cause them to get sick and die). Burn or bury your rubbish.

7) Do not dump tin cans, batteries, petrol, oil or chemicals in the sea – this can poison
turtles and the marine environment.

8) Be quiet near nesting areas and do not shine lights at nesting turtles.

9) Reflect on the important role that marine turtles play in kastom – ask elder people in
your community about their experiences with marine turtles.

10) Create your own “turtle diary” and keep a record of when turtles come up to lay nests
on your beach. This information is needed by turtle researchers and conservation
organizations.