Instituto de Fomento Pesquero (IFOP) — Chile (2019)

AZA-SAFE Grant Recipient

A fisheries observer working with Instituto de Fomento Pesquero releases a captured turtle.

Incidental capture in small scale longline fishing gear is the main threat to the green, loggerhead, olive ridley, and leatherback turtles that inhabit northern Chile’s coasts. Using sea turtles as flagship species, IFOP will use a 2019 SWOT grant to conduct workshops, lectures, and events that will educate youth, fishermen, and communities of northern Chile to instill a deeper understanding and dedication to marine conservation. Specifically, fishermen will be educated about methods to minimize sea turtle bycatch and mortality, and local communities will be educated about sea turtle biology and about ways to protect sea turtles’ critical habitats. 

Educational talk given at a school in Chile. ©Instituto de Fomento Pesquero

©Instituto de Fomento Pesquero