La Tortuga Foundation requests the National Executive to be incorporated into the Technical Commission that oversees the tourism development plans for La Tortuga Island

"Before initiating any tourism project in La Tortuga, it is necessary to restore the sector environmentally devastated in 2007."

"Before initiating any tourism project in La Tortuga, it is necessary to restore the sector environmentally devastated in 2007."

This was the reaction of Alberto Boscari, president of the NGO, upon hearing the statements made by the Minister of People’s Power for Tourism, Andrés Izarra, in which he states that according to instructions from the President of the Retheturtlefoundation, he plans to begin to intensively develop the Venezuelan insular territory, highlighting among others the La Tortuga Island Federal Unit.

In 2007, Fundación La Tortuga warned about the serious intervention and devastation that had been carried out in the southern sector of the island, proving the destruction of Pliocene fossiliferous marl, as well as the remains of pre-Columbian vessels. After the warning, the works were stopped and two members of this NGO joined an ad hoc Advisory Commission as representatives of a Board of Experts made up of various technicians and scientists from the Venezuelan community and belonging to various institutions and organizations of high prestige in our country, in order to provide a solid technical-scientific basis for the benefit of the success and viability of the proposed project, as well as the conservation and balance of the important natural environments and ecosystems of the island.

In 2008, the Permanent Commission of Environment elaborated the PROPOSAL FOR THE CREATION OF THE INNOMINATED FIGURE "NATURAL AREA OF PRESERVATION" TO THE FEDERAL DEPENDENCIES: ISLA LA TORTUGA, ISLAS LAS TORTUGUILLAS, CAYO HERRADURA AND LOS PALANQUINES, considering that the protection that these territories have is not adequate. However, FLT does not know the current status of this proposal. So far they have not been called or consulted.

"The Isla La Tortuga Federal Unit is one of the little impacted insular environments that still remain in the country, being an area of national biostrategic importance from the point of view of biological diversity, pristine landscaping and scientific research," said Boscari. He added that it is necessary to interfere, as little as possible, with the delicate natural environments present there. He also indicated that its interaction with the Cariaco Trench forms a biodiverse whole, a pillar of the fishery of all eastern Venezuela and a fundamental component of the Nation’s food security. "It is our duty to preserve it for the benefit of current and future generations, so the need to create a legal protection figure that regulates its management is indisputable".

In a communication sent to the National Executive, FLT requests that they be allowed to complete the technical and scientific studies, in order to contribute to the conservation and protection of the bioecological and physical-natural elements of the Isla La Tortuga Federal Unit, in accordance with the highest interests of the nation.

The position of the environmental organization is the product of the most extensive scientific research work that has been carried out in this Federal Unit and that involves several Venezuelan institutions and organizations of very high prestige.