The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Pacific is conducting a two-day workshop in Suva aimed at enhancing the capacity to track and protect endangered marine turtles. This workshop, part of the Turtle Project and ShellBank Initiative, is spearheaded by ShellBank co-founders Dr. Christine Madden and Dr. Michael Jensen, who specialize in turtle DNA traceability.
The training is designed to introduce local conservation and enforcement agencies to ShellBank, which serves as a genetic database and global toolkit for tracing turtle DNA to at-risk populations. The initiative seeks to empower stakeholders to combat illegal trade, overexploitation, and various threats facing marine turtles.
Participants include representatives from the Fiji Police Force, the Ministry of Fisheries, the Ministry of iTaukei Affairs, the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, as well as WWF Pacific Volunteers. This collaborative effort signifies a commitment to protect marine biodiversity, aligning with other conservation initiatives in the region.
Similar efforts have been made, such as workshops focused on identifying and conserving sharks and rays, indicating a proactive approach in marine species protection. These collective initiatives show hopeful progress for marine conservation in Fiji, emphasizing community involvement and education as vital components in safeguarding endangered species.
The workshop is supported not only by WWF but also by networks including WWF UK and The Coral Triangle, with financial backing from the Royal Caribbean International Foundation. As these training sessions unfold, they contribute to a broader movement aimed at ensuring a more sustainable future for marine ecosystems in Fiji.
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