Darwin Initiative
In October 2010 ProDelphinus announced the launch of its partnership with Dr. Brendan Godley of the University of Exeter and their Darwin Sustainable Artisanal Fisheries Initiative project – Peru. While this DEFRA-Darwin Initiative funded project officially ended in March 2014, it has led to major advances in marine research and conservation in Peru. The project has also helped form a strong foundation for much of ProDelphius’ current work, had helped train many local students and partners, and will pay dividends to marine conservation in Peru for many years to come.
The Darwin Sustainable Artisanal Fisheries Initiative-Peru (SAFI) integrated all available information on the spatial distribution of biodiversity and threats; it increased local capacity to carry out research; and it increased awareness among key stakeholders and the general public about the importance of Peru’s marine biodiversity.
Some of the main achievements of the Darwin-SAFI partnership with ProDelphinus include:
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A small-scale fisheries observer program that has monitored hundreds of fishing trips and provided critical information on sea turtles, seabirds, sharks, marine mammals and other fauna.
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Enhanced capacity to manage spatial, species and fishery data.
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New monitoring sites were established and others enhanced.
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Novel new technologies to reduce marine fauna bycatch have been tested and implemented.
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13 peer reviewed articles and three book chapters were published.
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5 project participants received advanced degrees, including two PhDs.
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A wide range of other project partners, including other NGOs, schools and government agencies also participated in the project and received training.
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Thousands of students, fishermen and members of fishing communities and the general public attended classes, talks or workshops about Peru’s marine environment and threatened species.
To check some materials produced click on:
