The Trust worked with Pro Delphinus of Peru to develop a Spanish-language educational resource about seabirds and bycatch for fishing communities and fishing schools in many South American countries. As part of the project, country-specific fact sheets for Peru, Ecuador, Chile and Argentina were also developed.

This project would not have been possible without the support of our generous sponsors: Marine Conservation Action Fund of the New England Aquarium,  WWF-New Zealand, Encounter Kaikoura, American Bird Conservancy and NOAA.

Connecting South American and New Zealand fishermen has been a priority for Southern Seabird Solutions Trust since the organisation’s formation in 2002. One of the Trust’s first projects was a fisherman exchange with Sanford Ltd hosting Chilean swordfish skipper Luis Uribe Varas on board the San Aotea II so he could learn first-hand about bycatch mitigation techniques.

While these exchanges are useful for fishermen, a number of groups in South America have also called for the development of Spanish-language seabird educational materials so that basic messages can be taken to a wider audience. In response to this request, Pro Delphinus and Southern Seabird Solutions Trust joined forces to develop a Spanish-language educational resource that can be used in Pacific South America and Argentina.

Joanna Alfaro Shigueto says, “We knew about the Trust’s educational fact sheets and thought they could be adapted for the audiences we’re trying to reach in Peru and other parts of South America. We’ve created a series of general fact sheets that explore issues that are of importance across South America."

Pro Delphinus and Southern Seabird would also like to thank the many people who contributed to these fact sheets. Special thanks to Carlos Moreno, Marco Favero, Sofia Copello, and Gustavo Jimenez for their assistance in developing the country-specific fact sheets. Thanks also to Jose Carlos Marquez and Jill Awkerman for reviewing and commenting on the series of fact sheets.