Nick Pilcher, a member of the Save Our Seas Foundation’s scientific advisory committee, was honored recently by the IUCN for his work on sea turtle conservation. Nick has worked with local communities throughout the world to establish programs that protect endangered sea turtles. Based in Malaysia, he runs the non-profit Marine Research Foundation and heads up the SOSF Sea turtles (Malaysia) research project, which focuses on reducing the amount of turtles caught as bycatch by fishermen, as well as gaining a better understanding of at-sea population dynamics. His approach acknowledges a need to work with businesses to implement conservation:
“Working with industry, rather than against them, and understanding that although industries have their own needs, much of what is needed for conservation can often be built into their plans, is a much more practical approach to conservation than continually butting heads with them.”
You can read more about Nick’s work at the IUCN site, including his initiatives to add Turtle Excluder Devices to fishing nets in Malaysia and minimizing the impact on nesting females of port development in India. Congratulations, Nick!