The Peruvian NGO Pro Delphinus has been awarded a further grant this year by the Conservation Leadership Programme for a project entitled Building the Capacity of Local Institutions to Lead Seabird Conservation Initiatives in Peru.
"Piura State's artisanal fishing fleet is the largest in Peru, which overlaps and interacts with endangered and threatened seabirds. However, little research or conservation efforts have addressed these issues. Increased international awareness of seabird threats in Peru, as well as the transfer of many powers from federal to state governments, has led to an urgency and unique opportunity to address these problems. Through a partnership with local institutions (NGOs & State) we will establish a seabird conservation programme and will train staff in education, conservation and research. The resulting independent programme will be able to respond quickly and effectively to seabird conservation issues in Piura. "
See also a recent report on the project.
Click here to read of an earlier funded project Advancing Seabird Conservation in Peru's Artisanal Fishery through Education and Research by the Conservation Leadership Programme with Pro Delphinus and to access its final report. This project monitored 242 artisanal fishing trips from nine ports with onboard observers from May 2005 to May 2008. A related project was also funded in 2005.
References:
Pro Delphinus 2006. Assessment of Seabird Bycatch in Peruvian Artisanal Fisheries. Final Report to the British Petroleum Conservation Programme. Lima: Pro Delphinus. 32 pp.
Pro Delphinus 2008. Advancing Seabird Conservation in Peru's Artisanal Fishery through Education and Research. Final Report to the Conservation Leadership Programme. Lima: Pro Delphinus. 35 pp.
John Cooper, ACAP Information Officer, 5 August 2011