Shell Beach to remain closed until mid-July

Jun 21, 2017 News

Due to high tides and an increased erosion rate, the beaches of the Shell Beach Protected Area (SBPA), including Almond Beach which is a major turtle nesting site and tourist destination, has been flooded.

Showing flooding at Almond Beach (PAC photo)

This had resulted in the Protected Area Commission (PAC) closing the area until mid-July.
Commissioner of PAC, Denise Fraser, said that Shell Beach is still closed to tourism.
“We had to source funds to carry out works to remove the Guest House to higher ground.”
A contractor is being procured to carry out the works, and it will be reopened as soon as the work is complete.
Due to the 2017 nesting season, a “No Netting Zones” has been implemented along two areas at the Shell Beach Protected Area, with Zone 1 located at Almond Beach and Zone 2 located at Tiger Beach.
These zones were implemented since mid-April and will be in effect until mid-July, corresponding with the peak of the turtle nesting season according to Fraser.
Fraser explained that incidental capture in gill nets (drift seines) set along the Shell Beach Protected Area continues to be a major threat to sea turtles that frequent the area.
However, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries Department in 2000 implemented “No Netting Zones” along major nesting sites at Shell Beach due to the high incidence of turtle mortality mostly caused by entanglement and drowning in fishing nets.
Fraser urged local fishermen to desist from using long seines which extend more than two miles during this period within these zones.
However, the use of hook-and-line fishing and smaller seines are permitted. These smaller seines should be checked on a regular basis (every three hours), PAC urged.
Pole seines are not permitted during the night. Trawlers are required by law to use Turtle Excluder Devices (TEDs). This is to ensure that the sea turtle populations are protected for future generations, Fraser explained.
Shell Beach was designated a protected area in 2011 in accordance with the Protected Areas Act 2011. Shell Beach Protected Area (SBPA) lies in the north western portion of Guyana, within Region 1, stretching over 120 kilometers of beach and mudflats. It covers an approximate area of 123,055 hectares.
One of the primary reasons for designating Shell Beach as a protected area is the use of Shell Beach by marine turtles as nesting grounds. Marine turtle includes the Leatherback.
The PAC also launched its five-year Strategic Plan 2016-2020, under the theme “Protecting Nature and Improving Lives,” at this event.

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