By Emmanuel T. Erediano
[email protected]
Variety News Staff
URAALI Refaluwasch Association senior advisor and cultural practitioner Melvin L.O. Faisao is asking the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council to allow the CNMI’s indigenous group to engage in the ongoing discussion regarding green sea turtle recovery.
In his letter to the council’s chairman, Nathan Ilaoa, on Monday, Faisao said the Refaluwasch community in the CNMI views the current discussion not as a call for immediate policy change, but as an important opportunity for informed dialogue.
For many Pacific island communities, he said, green sea turtles are not only ecologically significant species, but also hold deep cultural, historical and economic significance. That reality should be acknowledged. At the same time, any future pathway must remain grounded in science, law and conservation responsibility, Faisao said.
On the final day of the council’s 106th meeting on March 26, 2026, in Honolulu, Hawaii, participants, including representatives from the CNMI, tackled the sustainable use of sea turtles. The Department of Lands and Natural Resources also presented its marine conservation plan.
Faisao, on behalf of URAALI, also told Ilaoa that they want to engage in a broader conversation on culture, conservation and future management in the Western Pacific.
“We recognize that in certain areas, particularly Hawaiʻi, available data shows encouraging recovery trends. State and federal reporting over the past decades reflects sustained growth in nesting populations, which speaks to the effectiveness of long-term conservation efforts. At the same time, green sea turtles remain protected under the Endangered Species Act, and different population segments continue to carry threatened or endangered status. Significant threats also remain, including habitat loss, climate impacts, and human-related pressures,” Faisao said.
The Refaluwasch group, he added, also recognizes that the U.S. remains bound by domestic and international legal frameworks governing sea turtle protection. Under current U.S. law, harvest of green sea turtles is prohibited as take unless specifically authorized. Internationally, the Inter-American Convention establishes strong protections while also operating within a structured framework that has addressed limited exceptions through its processes.
Faisao said URAALI supports a careful, science-based and culturally informed dialogue on whether any future approach may be appropriate under clearly defined conditions. He said any such discussion should be grounded in verified, population-specific data; consistent with federal law and international obligations; developed in meaningful partnership with Indigenous communities and cultural practitioners; and structured so that conservation gains are not compromised.
He said they also recognize the value of regional and international forums that bring together community members, researchers, agencies and policymakers to examine these issues from both scientific and cultural perspectives. These discussions help build a more informed and inclusive foundation for any future consideration.
Faisao clarified that URAALI does not advocate for any immediate change in current legal protections.
“We support a balanced, responsible approach that keeps the dialogue open, transparent, and includes Pacific Island voices in decisions that affect our region,” he said.
Emmanuel “Arnold” Erediano has a bachelor of science degree in Journalism. He started his career as police beat reporter. Loves to cook. Eats death threats for breakfast.
