Safe Earth Foundation (2024)

The coastal waters and beaches of Nigeria’s Niger Delta support green and hawksbill turtles. However, in Akassa, sea turtles face severe threats such as illegal egg and turtle harvest, bycatch in fishing gear, and habitat degradation caused by climate change. These pressures have led to a significant population decline. While the Safe Earth Foundation (SEF) has worked to reduce these threats through community engagement and education, inadequate law enforcement and ongoing poaching continue to endanger nesting turtles and hatchlings. To address these challenges, this initiative focuses on habitat protection, bycatch reduction, and community-led conservation efforts, ensuring long-term protection for sea turtles in Akassa.

With support from SWOT funds, SEF will implement key conservation activities. First, community training workshops will educate local fishers and residents on sustainable fishing practices and the importance of sea turtles to marine biodiversity. Second, volunteer patrol teams will be established to monitor and protect nesting sites from poachers, using advanced tracking methods with the support of Rastoma. Finally, habitat restoration efforts will include a 15km coastal clean-up campaign to remove debris that threatens turtles and their nesting areas. These combined efforts will enhance sea turtle survival rates and build a sustainable conservation framework in Akassa.