Projecto UNIDA

Democratic Republic of São Tomé e Príncipe

In São Tomé e Príncipe sea turtles are considered fish and commercialised internally (meat, eggs and scales), with part of the population depending on them as a way of life or for self-sufficient purposes. Since all sea turtles species are listed in the IUCN Red Book as Endangered or Critically Endangered, it becomes necessary the change of habits and behaviours, integrating the people that depend directly on these creatures in they conservation and on the creation of other alternatives. This can be reached trough the development of research and several economic sectors, as is the case of agriculture, fisheries and tourism.

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The Projecto UNIDA is still hatching, but we are committed to help sea turtles and underdeveloped communities. We are working close together with several sectors of the society, mainly coastal communities and the people that depend directly on sea turtles to survive.

Activities:

- Identify and characterize sea turtle nesting beaches;

- Characterize sea turtle populations in the waters around the islands;

- Identify off-shore key areas and threats relevant for sea turtle conservation;

- Characterize sea turtle captures and egg collections for self-sufficient ends;

- Constitute a sea turtle fishermen and sellers cooperative to decrease sea turtle commercialization;

- Public awareness to the problem and to the alternatives.

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