Protection of elasmobranch (=sharks, rays and skates)
Since our last newsletter, 2 new partners have joined our Kenyan elasmobranch education and awareness program, bringing the total to 4. Our awareness kits have also been succesfully incorporated in the programs of a few other Kenyan NGOs, without the need for additional funding from us. Since our efforts began, we’ve seen a nationwide surge of interest in the topic, thanks to the hard work of our team from Bahari Hai. Picture above: Kenya Wildlife Services in Watamu offered us space in their exhibit to display awareness materials.
During our awareness sessions we’ve gathered valuable insights from the fishers, many of whom were unaware of which species are protected. This information will play a key role as we move into the second phase of our project, set to begin in early 2025.
Coral restoration project, Watamu National Park, Kenya
The first results from our coral restoration project in Watamu are very encouraging. We are outplanting coral fragments on hard substrates that have lost their coral cover over time. These fragments are sourced from the surrounding area and secured to the substrate using custom-made steel clips. With every dive, our partner team from Arocha Kenya gains more experience, steadily increasing the number of outplants completed per dive.
Many of the fragments outplanted earlier this year are thriving, as seen in the accompanying photos. They are succesfully attaching to the substrate, with a low mortality rate and with growth exceeding our expectations. Moving forward, our focus will be on optimizing the attachment process to further improve succcess rates.
New projects in Lombok, Indonesia
With our partner in mangrove conservation, the Indonesia Biru Foundation, we are planning 2 new projects in Lombok: shark & ray conservation in the East and coral conservation in the West.
1 - shark & ray conservation, East Lombok
Sharks have been overfished globally for decades with an estimated 70-100 million caught per year - mostly for their fins. These fins are primarily consumed in China where shark fin soup is seen as a status symbol. Ironically, the fins contribute little to the flavour of the soup, which actually comes from a chicken bouillon. China leads in shark finning, where fins are cut off and the rest of the shark is discarded. Indonesia ranks as the world’s top shark fishing country. A lesser-known fact is that the EU is also deeply involved in the shark fin trade, with Spain being the biggest exporter. While rays are faring slightly better, they are also overfished. Not only as food or bycatch, the gills of some rays such as the vulnerable Manta rays, are used in traditional Chinese medicine.
The Lombok area is well-known for its high levels of shark and ray fishing. Our upcoming project will mirror some of our efforts in Kenya, with a strongh emphasis on education and raising awareness. However, we are adding an extra focus on promoting ecotourism as an alternative to shark fishing. Other NGOs have already made notable progress in this area, and we are excited to step in and build on these efforts.
2 - coral conservation, West Lombok
Near the island of Gili Asahan we are set to launch a new coral reef conservation project and as always, we will hire local champions to manage, coordinate and execute the work. Together with Indonesia Biru Foundation we bring over 25 years of experience in coral reef restoration & conservation, making this an exciting new endeavor. We will work within a No Fishing Zone, with the goal of restoring 1.000m2’s of coral reef in the first year. Reef restoration is just one tool in our conservation strategy. Our broader goal is to protect the reef though active presence, job creation, stakeholder collaboration (fishers, coast guard, tourist operators), education and addressing local challenges. With this approach we aim to ensure a sustainable future for both nature and the communities that rely on it.
See you again in January 2025!
