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Dr. Félix Guillermo Moncada Gavilán, the marine biologist who led conservation efforts for sea turtles in Cuba for more than four decades, passed away on Sunday in Havana. The Cuban Fisheries Research Center confirmed his death with a statement expressing condolences, describing him as "a pillar of marine biology in Cuba."
Moncada Gavilán dedicated over 40 years of his life to the study and protection of these species in the Cuban archipelago. He was the head of the "Marine Turtle Project" in Cuba and the national coordinator for WIDECAST—the Caribbean Sea Turtle Conservation Network—since its inception at the institution in the late 1980s.
His most significant contribution was to promote the gradual process that culminated in the total ban on the capture of sea turtles in Cuba. He first recommended minimum catch sizes, then quotas, and finally a complete moratorium. "Since 2007, there has been an indefinite moratorium," the scientist explained in an interview published by the Ministry of Science, Technology, and the Environment. The measure was formalized through the , published in January 2008.
The Fisheries Research Center emphasized that this achievement had a "regional impact," as sea turtles are a shared resource among multiple Caribbean countries. Moncada himself explained it clearly: "Those that nest in one location feed in the waters of another country, so regional collaboration is essential."
His career included at least 40 scientific publications on sea turtles, and it led him to represent Cuba at international forums such as the 41st International Sea Turtle Symposium in Colombia and scientific events in Ghana. He held a PhD in Biological Sciences, was a member of the International Sea Turtle Society, and served on the board of specialists for the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
Among his recognitions are the National Awards from the Academy of Sciences of Cuba in 2006 and 2020, the "Carlos J. Finlay" Order in 2018 — the highest scientific honor from the Cuban state — and the National Marine Sciences Award 2024, presented last October at the XII Congress of Marine Sciences in Havana.
The news also moved conservation organizations outside of Cuba. The Grupo Tortuguero Siete Quillas de San Juan, in Puerto Rico, of which Moncada was a friend and close collaborator, issued a posthumous tribute in which he was described as a "master, friend, and tireless protector of the oceans."
The sea turtle nesting season in Cuba occurs between May and September, peaking in July and August, precisely during the weeks that follow their departure. In the Guanahacabibes Peninsula, three of the seven species of sea turtles in the world nest, an ecosystem whose protection bears the direct imprint of Moncada's work.
"Thank you for answering the call of the sea to save it. We will miss you. Until forever, Félix!" wrote the Grupo Tortuguero Siete Quillas in farewell.
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