| P&O hatches a clutch…

EXTRAORDINARY news has broken in the Conflict Group atoll, with the record release of 13,000 endangered turtle hatchlings (pictured) as part of a marine biodiversity project supported by the guest-funded P&O Pacific Partnership.

The landmark achievement marked yesterday’s World Ocean Day, and represented the most successful hatchling season to date for the Conflict Islands Conservation Initiative (CICI), a charity dedicated to the protection of the rare turtles.

The release of the hatchlings into the warm waters of the Coral Sea is part of CICI’s partnership with P&O Australia to monitor marine turtle populations, and to develop a long-term tagging and nesting program.

The release took place over a four-month period from Nov 2020 to Feb 2021, with CICI tagging more than 1,200 turtles to confirm how many are nesting among the atoll.

P&O Australia President Sture Myrmell said the Pacific Partnership support for the turtle project was a natural extension of the amazing experiences guests enjoyed during calls to the atoll.

“Our guests know the Conflict Islands are a jewel of the marine environment and many visit the turtle sanctuary during their visits,” he said.

“Through their contributions to the P&O Pacific Partnership, our guests know that they are making a difference in the protection of endangered marine life.

“We are looking forward to our ships returning to the Conflict Islands but it is good to know that this important project is continuing in the meantime.”

CICI Project Manager Hayley Versace said the Pacific Partnership support would help increase the number of hatchlings released and also help educate and inspire local communities.

“The program’s reach goes beyond communities that P&O guests visit because the lesson travels with individuals,” she said.