Posted on May, 08 2014

Colombia has created a new coastal protected area to secure important beaches used for nesting by endangered leatherback and hawksbill turtles. Supported by WWF for over a decade, the 26,000 ha Playon Playona Acandi Sanctuary is a collaboration with local community councils.
A cooperative initiative including Colombia’s fisheries authorities, the tuna fisheries industry and WWF is working to make the use of fish aggregating devices (FADs) more sustainable. FADs are devices used to attract tuna for catching. Floating or submerged, anchored or drifting, FADs are responsible for significant by-catch, especially of turtles and sharks as well as non-target tuna. The initiative aims to reduce the by-catch.