As threats to marine life continue to grow, young Guyanese are being equipped to respond through the WWF Guianas Great Ocean Project.
Last weekend, several Guyanese were trained as Marine Youth Ambassadors, learning about fisheries and strategic advocacy to safeguard the country’s marine environment. Technical Coordinators for the project, Diana Fernandes and Shonetta Lowe, told the News Room that this programme promotes awareness through action and education.
The Oceans programme’s main objective is to support the survival of emblematic marine species across the Guiana shield – Suriname, Guyana and French Guiana.
Illegal, unregulated, unreported fishing is a major threat to fish across the three nations and this project aims to tackle this issue and raise awareness on how this resource that can be depleted without careful focus on marine life.
The advocacy aspect of the programme, conducted at the weekend, is focused on edifying persons.
“Working with a civil society organisation here as the Guyana Youth and Environment Network, I think it is key in how we can educate and advocate,” Fernandes said.
Fernandes emphasised that youth participation in conservation plays a major role as seen at international forums such as the Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP) and Biodiversity COP.
Lowe shared similar sentiments and said advocacy is important and the aim of the ambassador’s programme is to raise awareness through active participation. Additionally, these ambassadors have a shared passion for conservation, marine life and another aspect of the programme, scientific research.
The two-day session was focused on the marine species and eco-systems, conservation and threats. Looking ahead these ambassadors will assist with further research and implementing solutions.
“We can tell that they really grasped the concepts. What we want to do is educate them so that when they get out into the communities, they can speak from an informed and learned perspective,” Lowe said.
The WWF Guianas works collaboratively with Ministry of Agriculture’s Fisheries Department and other local and international stakeholders in pursuing its cause.
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