SAMFU Advances Community-Led Sea Turtle Protection in Lake Piso Landscape; Grand Cape Mount County…..

Save My Future Foundation (SAMFU) in partnership with the Environmental Justice Foundation make progress in strengthening community-based sea turtle conservation efforts across six coastal communities within the Lake Piso Multiple Use Reserve.

The initiative focused on building local capacity, raising awareness, and improving monitoring systems to protect sea turtles and other endangered marine species.

As part of its implementation, SAMFU conducted awareness sessions in Bombojah, Falie, Latia, Sembehun, Robertsport and Bomie through six town hall meetings.

These engagements reached 61 participants, including fishermen, fishmongers, sea chiefs, youth leaders and community members. The sessions highlighted the importance of protecting sea turtles, dolphins and manatees, while addressing community concerns about interactions between marine species and fishing activities. A total of 65 awareness materials were reproduced and distributed, increasing outreach from a 10% baseline to 75%.

In strengthening community ownership, SAMFU mobilized and recruited 12 volunteers across the six communities to serve as sea turtle patrollers. Each community selected two individuals who were subsequently trained during a three-day capacity-building session.

The training focused on identifying, documenting and reporting sea turtle activities. Although the TIMBY mobile application was not deployed, participants were equipped with practical skills in using mobile phones and provided with standardized reporting templates.

Following the training, all 12 patrollers were deployed and have since been conducting daily beach monitoring activities. Since January 19, 2026, a total of 180 patrol visits have been recorded across the six communities. Monitoring efforts led to the identification of a sea turtle nesting site in Bombojah, where approximately 58 eggs were safely relocated and are currently being monitored within the community.

Additionally, patrollers in Sembehun reported a case involving a community member engaged in hunting sea turtles and collecting eggs for sale or consumption, highlighting ongoing threats within the project area. The monitoring process also captured sightings of other marine species, including humpback dolphins and manatees, as reported by local fishermen.

SAMFU remains committed to working with communities and relevant stakeholders to sustain monitoring efforts and further strengthen conservation measures within the Lake Piso landscape.

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