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About
Sea Sense
Sea
Sense is a local Tanzanian NGO which was set up in 2001 to protect
the rare dugong (sea cow) and five species of marine turtle, reverse
declining population trends and promote the protection of coastal
and marine habitats vital to their survival.
The
main threats to these species and their habitats in Tanzania are
hunting for meat and turtle eggs, incidental capture in fishing
nets, destruction of breeding and feeding grounds, pollution, limited
education and poor enforcement.
Sea
Sense, a small grass-roots organization, started on Mafia Island
working closely with coastal communities, the local council and
Mafia Island Marine Park, with funding from the Born Free Foundation
and WWF.
Sea Sense develops village-level
conservation, monitoring and education methods. This community-based
approach means that local people actively participate in the protection
and conservation of their own marine resources. In 2004, Sea
Sense scaled up its activities to encompass the entire mainland
coast of Tanzania.
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Checking
a nest
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Educational
dugong replicas
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To
date Sea Sense has trained 48 Conservation Officers in five
coastal districts of Tanzania. Conservation Officers are local villagers
elected by their community. They are the vital link between Sea
Sense and the community. The Officers are often fishers themselves
so are familiar with turtles, dugongs, their habitats and the threats
they face.
96%
of the Sea Sense team are Tanzanians, who are benefiting
both directly (through modest incentives and training) and indirectly
(through better management of marine and coastal natural resources)
from their involvement with Sea Sense and in marine conservation.
Local communities are also benefiting through turtle-tourism.
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Donors
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Born
Free Foundation - International animal welfare and conservation
charity
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Care
for the Wild - International animal welfare and conservation
society
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United
States Fish and Wildlife Service - Conserving the nature
of America
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Project
Aware Foundation - The dive industry's leading non-profit
organisation committed to conserving the underwater environments
through education, advocacy and action
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WWF
- The WWF Tanzanian Programme Office and Species Action
Fund of this worldwide conservation organisation supports
Sea Sense.
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Neil
and June Covey
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Wainwright
Trust
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